


No Rest for the Weary

by Kirabaros



Series: Chronicles of Absolution Season 2 [16]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Character Death, Family Feels, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:47:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 67,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28250355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kirabaros/pseuds/Kirabaros
Summary: 2.16. The final hours are here and Dean's deal is coming due. Angela struggles to find a solution to prevent the inevitable and praying that she doesn't have to use the last resort. Can she stop Dean's deal from going through and take out Lilith?
Series: Chronicles of Absolution Season 2 [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1013514





	1. Chapter 1

_Now_

_We just need time, Dean. I mean, please, just think about it. Don’t you wanna live?_

_What he is isn’t living. It’s simple to me. Black and white; human, not human… You see what the doc is; he’s a freaking monster. I can’t do it. I would rather go to hell._

_Sam looked into the grave dug for Doc Benton. His expression spoke volumes; that the last chance to save Dean was slipping away. Three weeks left before the hell hounds came for his big brother and they were no closer to finding anything._

Angela stared off into the night smoking a cigarette. Three weeks ago Dean learned the truth about who held his contract. Three weeks ago he said no to Doc Benton’s formula of immortality. She gave a slight scoff. That wasn’t immortality. Also three weeks ago Bela’s deal had come due.

Angela took another puff of the cigarette. Bela was a pain in her ass. Before three weeks ago, after gaining her sight back, courtesy of the Eye of Horus, which was safely stowed away, she had a brief interaction with the skank. They met and Bela tried to get close to the boys through her. That didn’t work. She didn’t wish hell upon anyone and while she liked the idea of Bela getting a comeuppance like in Tartarus, she didn’t relish what Bela’s deal brought her.

_I noticed something interesting in your hotel room. Something tucked above the door. An herb. Devil’s shoestring?... Turns out they died 10 years ago today. A demon did your dirty work. You made a deal, didn’t you, Bela?_

The girl did make a deal and the reasons, it may have seemed justifiable in the end but in this case, messing with demons was a sure fire way to get her killed. At least she did something right in the end since she had nothing left to lose. She told Dean that Lilith held the contract. Both pieces of knowledge Angela had were now laid out in the open. The only sticking point was the fact that Dean’s ticket was up in a matter of hours.

Angela took another pull on her cigarette. She really didn’t smoke unless she felt the need to do so. Mostly it was when she was agitated or worried that she hadn’t done enough. After regaining her sight and then the whole thing with Doc Benton, she was unsure about her initial plan about grabbing the contract and fixing it. She had to go through Lilith and considering the bitch fight she had with Tiamat… She could only guess the possible end result.

There was one other option and she wasn’t even sure that Dean considered it and if Sam knew about it, he would be pushing it and that didn’t involve her going to hell to rescue Dean. She sighed at that plan. Bobby had gotten the last of the stuff to set up the opening of the gate. She would have a limited window to work with the moment Dean died. That sounded so morbid but it was the only thing other than the last two plans she had and she didn’t like either of them.

Angela looked at her cigarette and found that she had smoked the whole thing through. She put the butt out and popped out another one. She lit up using the lighter she kept with the other odds and ends in her pocket. She watched the plume of smoke float into the night air.

“I never pegged you as a smoker.”

Angela turned her head to see Dean standing next to the Impala. She gave a slight grin and took a draft. “I’m not. I just felt like it.”

Dean was no fool. He knew that she was agitated about the fact that his ticket was coming up and they were no closer to a solution that would get him out of his deal without killing Sam. At least it was better than the drag race last week where she raced Deanna, her baby, against some souped up foreign cars. She won five grand but she took enormous risks with it and some were near suicidal at least from a human standpoint.

Reaching in, he pulled out a couple of beers and handed one to Angela. He was pleased she took it and watched as she popped the beer while holding her cigarette. He began, “So, you thinking about doing another drag race?”

“No. I’ve got more important things to do,” Angela replied taking a sip. “I see you pulled out the good stuff.”

“Your fault you shared with us that stash from Oklahoma,” Dean pointed out with a slight smile. He sobered though and got to the point, “What are you planning Angie? Do you know something about deal aside from that brokers’ privilege stuff? Are you trying to come up with a way to break my deal cause you know what will happen if you do?”

Angela took another puff of her cigarette as she held her beer and stared off in the distance. Normally she would have been star gazing but she hadn’t been in the mood for it. She knew the stakes as well as Dean and she was there when the deal had been made. “I know Dean. If you want the truth, I do have a couple of ideas but I hesitate on saying anything given the events of the last three weeks.”

Dean knew she kept things not to be spiteful but out of a need to protect him and Sam. The way he saw it, that time was over. “Okay then. Can you tell me one? I promise I’ll just listen.”

“I would prefer your outburst at the very mention of it but I appreciate it.”

“What big brothers are for Sis.”

Angela couldn’t help but smile. “That is appreciated little bulldog.” She glanced at Dean before turning away to take another pull of her cigarette and then a sip of her beer. Sighing she decided to bite the bullet and start with the least of all evils in her eyes. “Well I didn’t say anything since I know your stance about Doc Benton and this kind of goes along that line.”

“I doubt anything you come up with is as bad as the good doc,” Dean replied. “But I said I would shut up and let you talk so go ahead.”

It was a surprise to Angela that Dean was holding himself to his word but she figured he knew how she was feeling at the moment and about the whole thing. They had become close this past year and she felt like she was a dismal failure since her ideas would most likely end up being rejected. Still he had the right to hear them and now that she had everything for her ideas… She began, “Well I know better than the doc about so called immortality. Well there is one way to buy time and a very long time barring accidents and illnesses.”

Angela paused to look at Dean. She could tell that he was getting the hint at what she was saying but he was going to stick to his word and listen. She continued, “Keep in mind that it could be considered welching and that means I would have to do the same to Sam but… A way to prolong your life would be for me to turn you. You would be human for the most part and you won’t have teeth like me but just some abnormal things like reflexes. You would live longer too and pretty much be stuck as a twenty seven year old. In short you would be… like me.”

Dean suspected that was one idea to offer. First Sam got it into his head about that but he was saying something about a fellow vampire and he wasn’t coherent at the time. The second time was actually meeting someone who was turned. Gus, who actually called him a few days ago and asked about how he was doing. Haley called a few days after that and talked to him too and offered the suggestion of her witch doctor roots but he refused.

Now Angela was telling him she had the power to turn him into something like her. He guessed that it was hard for her to tell him since she was there when he said what he said about the doc. It sounded like double standards in regards to her and he could see why she was apprehensive about it. He replied, “And what about Sam? The demon you threatened is dead so doesn’t that make your clause null and void?”

“Like I said, I would have to do the same to Sam. The thing is I don’t want to do it.”

“You did it for Gus.”

“I was selfish, Dean. You know better than anyone that I have few people I could truly call a friend or even family. Augie was like a daughter to me. I raised her after she became blind and then when she was dying… I wasn’t ready to let her go.” Angela took another sip of her beer. She flicked her butt away since it was burnt to the filter. “I shared blood and made her into half a Halfling and now she will forever look like she is twenty-one and won’t die pretty much like me.”

“You really value this life and death thing don’t you?”

“I have been on both sides of the fence Dean. I died and was brought back like you were; a life for a life. I helped Augie cheat death because I wasn’t ready to see her die and now she’s cursed like me. Now I’m asking if you want the same for you and Sam.”

Dean thought about it some more. “I don’t think Gus sees it as a curse. When we were talking, she sounded so grateful that you walked into her life when you did. She was sad to see you go. That’s the thing with family. You’re willing to go the lengths for them but in the case of me and Sam we do stupid stuff like make a crossroads deal.” He paused a moment to take a drink of his beer and savor the taste and think about it some more. He gave a slight sigh and then continued, “I know you don’t want to do the whole vamp thing and to be honest, I don’t think it’s a good idea either even though the idea of living as long as you do sounds a bit cool. Since you said you would have to do the same for Sam, I’m guessing there is more to it.”

“You know me well Bulldog,” Angela replied with a slight smile. “It’s not just the fact that I think I would be cursing you to a cursed life but… you both are precious to me as humans. It’s a reminder of how fragile life is, which is why I guess I try to live each moment with you two. But you are more than mere humans to me. You’re my bulldog and brother Dean and Sam…”

“I know,” Dean replied. “That’s why I’m not going to go for it. The best thing is to find Lilith and gank the bitch and maybe this will end.”

“I don’t think it would be enough to just gank her.”

“What are you talking about? That usually works.”

Angela rubbed her eyes. She nearly spilled the beans that time but then again the plan Dean had would bring her to them and she could go ahead with what Crowley had her practice the last month or so. She knew Dean wouldn’t let this go and since the clock was ticking, she might as well give him all the options that were available. She replied, “We could gank her but there is the matter of the contract itself. It could still go down even without her holding it.”

“One of those things you would know as a broker?”

“Something like that.” Angela played a bit with her fingers while holding the beer. “Just saying that maybe there is a way to get the contract and make it so that it is done for good.”

“You wanna run that by me again?” Dean wasn’t sure if he heard right. So far the theory was that if they killed the demon holding the contract it was done. However Angela was making it sound like there was more to it. “Angie, is there something that you found out about deals?”

Angela sighed as she looked at Dean. She hoped that it wouldn’t be taken the wrong way. “There is a way to make sure that your contract is done. The thing is you need someone who knows about the fine print and can pretty much play lawyer with it and I was looking into me doing it since I have brokers’ rights and all.”

“You mean to get close enough to Lilith to snag my deal and make it yours?” It was first instinct for Dean to explode about that but he found himself thinking about it and he didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. “So you get my contract and because you can do the deal thing, and then you can alter it and make it so that I’m not dog chow and Sam doesn’t get hurt?” He looked at her with a raised brow.

“Yes.” Angela delivered the answer straight to him, looking at him firm in the eye. She wasn’t going to dance around with this. “I will admit that it is a big risk since we have to get close enough to Lilith for it and if you remember my bitch fight with Tiamat… It won’t be easy. This one I am going to do since I am sure I can but I won’t do anything to put you or Sam at risk.”

Dean took in what she was saying. She was telling him the option and saying that she was going to try no matter what he said. At least she was giving him the courtesy of knowing and she was keeping the promise she made to Sam by being careful with herself. He couldn’t believe he was going to say this but, “Alright. What are the details of this little plan of yours? By the way I can see how you kept this especially from Sam by pretending nothing was wrong. I’m not saying I approve or disapprove but I understand.”

Angela gave a slight smile. Leave it to Dean to see right through her motives and actions. She replied, “What I can tell you is accompanied by a series of jargon crap but here’s the layman’s version…”

****

_The forest looked similar to the lush redwoods of northern California but it was virtually a forest and rather clichéd like the horror movies but those clichés carried a lot of weight if you read into everything. It was noisy with the sounds of the wildlife. Suddenly it became quiet… too quiet. It was the kind of quiet that had your spine tingling and you knew something was coming._

_Suddenly panting filled the air. Two shapes were like blurs as they ran through the forest. One was a man. The fear was evident on his face as he ran from the sounds of barking and gnashing teeth. There was only one beast that made that kind of sound. That was the second shape that was following the man. To most, it was invisible and that was a good thing since no one should see the monstrosity that was called a hellhound._

_Then there was a cry; a war cry broke through the brush. As soon as the man ran past, she jumped out. Her tawny eyes were glowing orbs as they looked at the hellhound. Her fangs were bared and she was ready for a full on fight. She hissed at the hound as it growled at her and she twirled the blade that many knew her by._

_The hellhound launched itself forward and she followed swinging her blade. She then began reciting something in a language that was not easily understood. On the ground a sigil appeared and it was blood red. Suddenly there was a giggle; it was a little girl giggle, but there was no happiness to it. It was cold and evil sounding. No child should ever have a laugh like that. It was disturbing and sent a chill down the spine._

_The girl was standing in front of the one with the fangs. The hellhound was on the ground and whimpering slightly from an injury but it turned into a growl. The little girl was standing there looking at the warrior and said something in the same language and was holding up something. The warrior responded and held out her hand._

_The end result was the girl laughing and the hellhound jumped the man that suddenly appeared. The warrior tried to help but was thrown back into a nearby tree. She watched as the man got torn to shreds and then began feeling the same pains. All the while the little girl with the white eyes was laughing and saying something but the words couldn’t be understood…_

Haley opened her eyes and rubbed them to clear them. The smell of the herbs and roots filled her nostrils and she looked over at her companion who was studying her. He was staring at her like a curious puppy would and was trying to see if there was an outside force that was tormenting her. He was good at what he did and had proven to be a good choice in bodyguard but he was also a friend.

Ever since that incident with Genevieve in Lakota, Haley decided that a little traveling would be good for her. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be with her mother’s people or her father’s; she needed time to sort out her place in the world and to keep that piece which she vowed to keep safe. The twins at Lakota guarded another and then Europe had the last. Also she wanted to practice with her abilities since she accepted what she was and that was in part because of a certain man who struck her in a certain way that was hard to explain.

Aaron looked at Haley as she came out of her trance. He didn’t really like it when she did them but it was a part of her heritage and she was insistent on keeping in tune with the mysteries of the world aka the spirit realm. That was one of the consequences of being born with the talent of an African witch doctor. Of course he had his own abilities that were strange and unusual and he lived a precarious life to prevent from being hunted.

He was called Nephilim. He was born to a human woman and an angel father. The Bible spoke of his kind as abominations but in his line of thinking, there were others like him that lived too. One was a woman he had met nearly a year ago in Texas. She was like him and she had some interesting ideas about beings like him and her.

They called her Absolution but she insisted upon her name as Angela. Aaron could tell that it was no coincidence about her name and the legend of the one destined to bring Absolution. He was certain she could see it but she was either in serious denial or didn’t believe. She did have interesting things to say and when she spoke to him about what he was, she said that just because he was the product of serendipity, that didn’t mean that his life was worth less. It was inspiration of a sort and he took a new outlook on his duties.

Aaron watched as the vestiges of the trance fade away and asked, “Another job for us to do?” He had gotten into the hunting game just as well as she did and liked helping out by going after the things that went after people.

“Not the usual,” Haley replied as she looked at the smoldering incense on the table. She recognized the man in her vision and the woman. It was as the rumors had said and a glance at the wall confirmed it… It was coming.

“What is it Hale?”

Haley made a slight face that was a sort of smile. She had asked Aaron to call her that but it didn’t have the same timbre as Dean Winchester’s voice. She liked the nickname but it held a different meaning when Dean said it. It couldn’t be a coincidence that she had been thinking of the flirting hunter and her vision was of him running from the hellhounds.

She knew that Dean made a deal. He told her as much when they were dangling in a cage in Genevieve’s lair. She understood his reasons and never made him feel that he was a bad person for doing so since it was his brother’s life. If she had siblings, she would probably have done the same. Now the reality of the situation was catching up to him and she was getting the taste of it and it involved the one person besides Sam that was important in his life.

Haley continued to look at the incense and thought about what she saw. She finally said, “It’s Dean. His time is coming up.”

Aaron paused a moment. He remembered Dean and how he and Haley were in Texas. “The brother of the Champion?”

“Yes,” Haley replied after giving a chuckle.

“What about him?”

“Just a mistake that is becoming a reality,” Haley replied. She was not sure if she should act upon it. Maybe give Dean a phone call. She did warn him to keep Angela from chasing the demon. She knew that it wasn’t about the king of the crossroads but about another demon.

She had been hearing rumors all year about a harridan that bullied the small fry in some mad quest to find the demon who did a bad deal. The stories said that she tortured the small fry with a knife capable of dealing harm to the demons and in some instances resulted in harsh exorcisms or a killing. Haley hadn’t wanted to believe them but she saw how Angela was around Dean and his brother and she believed that she was capable of anything.

“So are we heading out soon?”

Haley knew that if she were to interfere, she would most likely get her head bitten off for her troubles. Angela was a proud person underneath that selfless character that was as natural as breathing. She never let people do what she was capable of doing even if the act had a low calculated chance of survival.

She had to think about it some. She stood up and replied, “I need to think about it some. I’ll be back.”

“You know what my orders are.”

“And you know that you don’t have to babysit me to every place. It is just downright creepy in certain places,” Haley replied looking at Aaron. “I am just going for a walk around the area. I need to sort out a few things before we head out.”

Aaron watched as Haley left the room. True that he was a bit overprotective at times but he was charged with protecting the guardian of one of the three pieces of the seal. However, he did learn to loosen up so as not to attract attention. He could still keep an eye on her but not draw attention to the fact that she was special. They would just appear as two people road tripping. At least she had her powers and a small .45 pistol tucked in her jacket.

Haley left the room and started walking in the direction of the diner nearby. She could grab a bite of something while she was thinking about her vision and what to do. She knew that Dean would listen to her but there was the chance that Angela told him first and he was going to go with it anyway. Surely though, there was no harm in conveying her concerns? That’s what it was: a friendly concern. But what if there was a chance that Angela could save Dean by chasing the demon? That certainly was worth letting it be?

“You know that it is inevitable.”

Haley whirled around and let her fire trick start to show. She ended up facing a man that looked like he was from one of those Middle Eastern countries with dark olive skin and pitch black hair. She held her hand ready and replied, “There are a lot of things that I know.”

“I’m willing to agree to that,” the man replied. “And I’m willing to just talk if you don’t mind putting out that flame trick. I’m a little sensitive to fire.”

“Well then I guess I better keep it unless you want to tell me who the hell you are and what do you want,” Haley retorted.

“Just telling you what you know deep down. Dean Winchester’s deal has come due and she intends to stop it.”

“You can hardly blame Absolution for that,” Haley replied. She didn’t relent on her fire trick. “After all he means something to her.”

“Yes, but I’m here to tell you that she cannot be allowed to take on Lilith nor can she undergo her backup plan.”

“What she wants to do is up to her.”

“Not if she’s not ready for it.”

Haley paused a bit. Who was this guy to tell her whether or not Angela was ready or not? She replied, “What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I mean, witch. She isn’t ready and I need you to stop her.” The man looked at Haley with a curious expression. “You need to stop her Haley.”


	2. Chapter 2

_I don’t care what it takes, Dean. You’re not gonna go to hell. I’m not gonna let you._

_We don’t even know if Lilith actually holds my deal. We’re going off of Bela’s intel. When that bitch breathes, the air comes out crooked, okay?_

_Dean, she had no reason to lie. There was nothing left for her to lose so there is usually no point in lying unless someone really hates you._

_Right and that’s what Bela does. You know her better than that Angie and she’s screwed you more times than me and Sam and she still didn’t learn her lesson when you almost decided not to help her. Besides we have no way to gank Lilith unless Absolution is up to it and third she wants Sam’s head and yours. Should I continue?_

Angela knew that Dean laid fine points. Sure he knew about the possibilities but she could tell that he was still up in the air about her snagging his deal and fixing it. She got the feeling that he was more worried about her going down a path that no one in their little family would like. It was one of the reasons why they didn’t say anything after her smoking binge and she left Dean to go to sleep for a few hours.

In that time she spent it training. She had Absolution out and was going through the motions of sword techniques she had learned throughout the centuries. Absolution knew her emotions well and remained focused and silent as they went through the motions. She had no idea that someone that was called Sasquatch one too many times was watching her go through her motions.

She practiced the sword kata that Onigen taught her and showed her how to put her abilities into play. She had attempted it before when she lost her hearing but that was more in grief. This time it was in focus and concentration. She twirled Absolution and it gleamed in the night just like how he showed her and imagined it was Lilith. She had no idea that Sam was watching every move in an inquisitive way since he was seeing someone he hadn’t seen before performing those moves with an eye to kill.

She knew that Dean had a nightmare. She wasn’t in the same room but she could hear the tiny movements. A blessing and a curse from her days being blind. She even saw the slight twitch when he looked at Sam. Thirty hours to go then and he was already seeing the hallucinations. Her hand on his shoulder had been more reassuring to him and she could see that. Maybe that was all she needed to be throughout this whole discussion.

_We go in smart or we don’t go in at all._

_Okay, if that’s the case, I have the answer._

_You do?_

_Yeah, a sure-fire way to confirm it’s Lilith and a way to get us a bona fide, demon-killing Ginsu._

That was what they were arguing over at the moment. Angela didn’t like it any more than Dean did. She had enough of the lying skank. She had put in her two cents that Absolution was able to kill anything and they had seen it but it seemed to have been forgotten. She and Bobby were standing there watching the two brothers argue and no one noticed she had popped another cigarette in and was smoking it.

“Give me another option, tell me.”

“Alright that’s enough!” Angela disliked shouting but it was getting to be too much. She puffed a final blow on the cigarette before putting it out. “It’s enough to make my blood boil and its already boiling.”

“So you finally have something to contribute after months of me pestering you?” Sam was visibly upset at the whole argument.

“And you know me well enough by now Sam that I get all my facts before presenting them. My coward’s way pretty much but Dean is right. We play this smart so I am laying out some cards and we’ll see if it works,” Angela replied. She flicked the extinguished butt at the wall and walked over to where her box of gear was stashed.

Dean raised his brow. Was she actually going to tell Sam what she told him? He knew that she was setting herself up for a big mess up in this but she promised that if he was going to support her even though she was going to do it anyway, she would tell Sam and Bobby. There was no way to know except ask and he knew Sam was speechless probably more by the fact that she was smoking than her self-degradation about her habits and the way she approached a situation. He asked, “What do you have in mind Angie?”

Angela glanced at Dean and then Sam before pulling out the case that she had made special rush order. She carried it to the table and said, “Since I am assuming that we are in agreement that we play this thing smart, it occurs to me that instead of going to Lilith, we bring her to us.”

“Are ya nuts?” Bobby looked at Angela. He had been wondering if she had been losing a few of her usual good sense marbles.

“Not at all Bobby. We know where Lilith is and there are rituals and one sure fire summoning ritual of bringing her to us. The trick is to bind her in a devil’s trap and with every known means of warding and keeping a demon in. We have a means to gank her and that is Absolution.”

“Okay,” Dean replied once he saw that she was setting a means to go ahead with her plan. Maybe he could be agreeable to it. “So we summon her. How can you be sure that you have her and can trap her?”

“Like Bobby’s locator,” Angela began as she opened the box. She put her hands in and as she pulled out what was in it, she added, “We get specific and we use this.” She pulled out the altar cloth that she had obtained from Crowley and that she now knew he stole from Tiamat and placed it on the table. “This is Lilith’s sigil. Like everything within the supernatural, there are different ways of having a symbol or a set of symbols refer to their name. Lilith is considered the first and has an interesting set of lore especially in Christian mythology so she is pretty powerful.”

“So you’re saying that names are power,” Sam finally spoke.

“Something like that only in this case it is a sigil and with the appropriate incantation, we have her. She won’t refuse.” Angela looked at the three men looking at her. She lingered on Dean for a while in a silent gesture that this was an alternative to her getting close enough to snag his contract.

Bobby looked at the sigil. What Angela was suggesting was serious mojo work. It wasn’t too long ago that… “I don’t know Angie. That last thing with Tiamat left you pretty well drained. How do we know that this won’t do the same thing?”

“It’s a summoning ritual,” Angela replied.

“Seriously, Angie. Does it require more than usual ingredients and this?” Dean looked at her. He remembered how they found her. She was alive but not completely there and she had minimal breath sounds. “No bullshit.”

“It requires a bit of a kick. This is a powerful demon but it’s not Tiamat.”

“That’s too much of a risk and no, Sam we are not summoning Ruby. No. We are not going to make the same mistakes over again,” Dean replied and his gaze lingered on Angela. The more he thought about it, the more he was getting the idea that this contract snagging had more risks than she gave. “You guys wanna save me? Find something else.” He gave Angela a firm look with that last line. He wasn’t going to let her risk her life to grab his contract; not if there was a chance Lilith would skin her alive.

Dean knew that there was little to zero chance of finding something else. The real chances lay with Angela and they involved risks on her life. They were risks that she was gladly willing to take for his sake and he found that he couldn’t have that. He was aware that he was being a huge hypocrite since Sam and he would do the same for him but that was repeating the same thing he did that got him in this position in the first place. It was something to do as he read through the books again.

Sam watched his brother and then turned towards Angela who was putting away the altar cloth. She was pausing to look at the sigil and her fingers were tracing the lines. He frowned slightly at her actions. It was like she was memorizing it before she put it away in what was clearly a sort of hex box. Some of the symbols he wasn’t sure of but he got the feeling that piece of cloth had more value and how Angela acquired it could have put her on someone’s target list. It wouldn’t be the first time something like that happened. It was why she had valuable amulets stored in protective boxes like the Eye.

Sam sighed since he knew for certain that Angela was going to back Dean on summoning Ruby and asking for help. He knew they didn’t like each other and Angela never missed an opportunity to stick it to Ruby like she did in Sheridan with her exorcism ritual. Of course Ruby paid her back by revealing that she knew that Lilith was after her for whatever reason and that she was going after the demon alone. It sounded petty between them but Sam realized that it took Angela a lot of restraint to not stick Ruby literally when she was helping them.

He thought back to what he saw earlier with Angela and Absolution. He had seen her practice a few times before but it was always in a more or less relaxed state. This last time, he saw something that actually had him worried. She had a look to kill meaning that she was going to go all the way if she had to. She had said it but he never really quite believed it since he had always seen her as a gentle person underneath the badass she showed.

“Your thoughts make the silence rather deafening.”

Sam looked at Angela as she walked with the box she carried and stuffed it into her duffle. He sighed and walked over to ask, “How long have you had this idea?”

Angela looked at Sam as she tightened her duffle shut. “You want the honest truth? I thought about it for months and it took time to verify it. Now you’re wondering why I didn’t say anything it was because I hadn’t heard of summoning ritual for demons like Lilith until now.”

“Fine I’ll buy that but what is so wrong with summoning Ruby. I know you’re backing Dean on this and it’s no secret that you don’t like her.”

Angela let out a slight chuckle. “Like has nothing to do with it. I hate her Sam and yes we have history and that history involved her trying to kill me. So you can imagine that I am exhibiting a great amount of patience and willpower not to grab her and send her back to the pit.” She sighed as she tried to calm her temper. She then added, “Look I’m sorry if I’m in a bad mood right now. I knew that this idea would be rejected at one point or another since it might be like Tiamat all over again and truth be told both yours and Dean’s rejection of Absolution’s abilities…”

“I’m sorry about that. I know Absolution can do the same thing as Ruby’s knife and I know you have one just like Ruby’s…”

“Technically they are not alike. Different means of forging but same idea,” Angela interrupted unnecessarily. It helped to lessen the fact that Sam was standing very close to her for the purposes of whispering so that Dean couldn’t overhear. She kept her hands on the table as she leaned against it and could feel her nails dig into the wood.

“Good to know… I guess,” Sam replied with a slight frown at that non sequiter. He had no idea why she would even say that but he continued, “Anyway I was thinking more along the lines of having an extra tool in the shed or something like that and we can confirm…”

“It is true about Lilith holding the contract,” Angela interrupted again. “As I said before Bela had no reason to lie. Most people who are at the end of their rope don’t have or need the reason to lie about things like that. That and I had a short and sweet conversation with Cary.” She paused a bit to give a slight sigh. “I am not for summoning her Sam but I am not against it since I am just as guilty since I have a bona fide stoolie. Just know where I stand with regard to her. An extra weapon in the arsenal is more often a good thing in my experience but the source of it should be handled with care.” Angela looked at Sam in his eyes before straightening up and taking the pack of cigarettes on the table she stalked out to think.

Sam watched her go. There was always a purpose to what she said. She was agreeing that Ruby’s knife might come in handy. She was just giving the same warning as she had before; that he should be careful. Now that he knew the type of history if not all the details, he could understand better why things were as they were. An idea started to form and maybe it might work.

****

“Not gone. Dormant. And not just visions either. Why do you think Lilith is so scared of you?”

“Right she’s scared of me. She’s the one that wants Angie alive and broken.” Sam gave a look of disbelief at Ruby. It was old news… well sort of. More likely Lilith wanted him dead to get to Dean and because Angela was around, it was much more difficult.

“If you wanted, you could wipe her off the map without moving a muscle.” Ruby looked at Sam before giving a slight scoff, “At least it would be one step further than what Absolution would do. It’s the truth.”

“And you just thought to tell me now?”

“Uh demon. Manipulative’s kind of in the job description. Fact is that you never would have considered it and she certainly wouldn’t have bothered to mention it.” Ruby saw the look of confusion flit across Sam’s face. “Yes Absolution knows. She’s the one who chased after the demon for centuries. Even she knows you wouldn’t have considered it until you were…”

“Desperate enough?” Sam couldn’t quite believe it. Yeah Angela knew that he had been given demon blood as a baby and she had found the other psychics. This was just a little bit harder to digest.

Ruby looked at Sam with a shrug, “You don’t like being different. You hate the way Dean looks at you sometimes but I can’t say much about how she looks at you. Maybe its pity since she is just like you or some misguided sense to ask to be forgiven for being a sideshow freak since her kind are not often well accepted. Misery loves company I guess. But suck it up because we’ve got a lot of ground to cover and we gotta do it fast but we can do it.”

Sam was more agitated by the fact that Ruby implied that Angela was giving him pity. She never did that. Yeah Dean would sometimes shoot him the look like he was a freak but she was different. She didn’t look at him like that. She looked at him like he was a person.

Ruby knew she had to go for the hook, line and sinker with Sam. “Look call me a bitch, hate me all you want cause I know she does.”

“Well you tried to kill her so I hardly blame her for that.”

“But I have never lied to you Sam. Not ever. And I’m telling you, you can save your brother. And I can show you how.”

“Interesting how the same sales pitch can sound different when you’re exploiting different parts of the same whole.”

Both Sam and Ruby looked towards the shadows where the voice came from. There appeared two shining orbs and Angela stepped into the light. She gave a slight smile at Ruby and added, “So you want to play that card after you gave the same pitch to me about saving Dean? Telling me that I am the only one who can save him?”

“You gave up that chance when you decided to be a fool and go in halfcocked as always,” Ruby spat.

Angela frowned a little in sarcasm, “Right because the level of power that certain abilities I have far exceed Lilith’s… at least that’s what you implied. Surprised me since I overdid it once and killed myself trying to save someone else.”

“And that implies you have no control.”

Angela made a slight look. She had started a slight pacing in an attempt to not just wring the demon’s neck. “Control. Then I guess you should have been able to detect I was standing there the entire conversation. Hell Sam should have been able to see me.”

“A parlor trick and you know it. The true power lies within those other talents that you use for holding hands and amusing children,” Ruby returned. She had been disconcerted that Angela had been hidden that long. She may have seriously underestimated her abilities when she started on her campaign to get her on board. “I can get Sam ready with those dormant abilities…”

“Right and I have an inkling how you plan to do that.” Angela looked at Ruby and then said something in a language the skank would understand. It was the proper name for what she suspected Ruby wanted to do.

“And you could be just as powerful if you did the same.”

“So that’s you, huh? Our slutty little Yoda,” Dean entered from his place. He saw the look on Ruby’s face and gave his usual grin, “Oh, I knew you’d show up. Because I knew Sam wouldn’t listen. But you’re not gonna teach him anything. You understand me? Over my dead body.”

“Oh well you’re right about that,” Ruby shot back, “And you intend to have the dark brooding bitch here teach him?”

“Angie teaches what she teaches cause she knows what the lines are,” Dean replied, not backing down.

“Oh really? And whose lines are those? After all you know her track record with ideas and plans,” Ruby retorted. She listened to Dean’s ultimatum and added, “Your brother is carrying a bomb inside of him and we’d be stupid enough not to use it.”

“I believe you said the same thing about me once,” Angela replied. “Lost faith in the horse because she didn’t want to become your bitch?” She narrowed her eyes at Ruby.

“You were the one that insisted on this goody two shoe act instead of embracing what you really are,” Ruby retorted. She then turned to Dean, “And I’m so sick of trying to prove myself to you. You wanna save yourself? This is how, you dumb spineless dick and not through some bitch who is too afraid of the power she possesses.”

Dean gave a smirk. He was about ready to throw a punch when he heard his name being barked. He knew that it was Angela and he didn’t say a word when she stood in front of Ruby. Even Sam kept his distance. Angela looked at Ruby and she said in a low voice, “The answer is no Ruby. Give us the knife and leave. You want Lilith dead, then you are talking to the one who will do it.”

Ruby scoffed and laughed a little. “You won’t do it. You don’t even have the guts to use the full potential. You couldn’t even use it on me if you wanted to.” She looked a little proud of herself as she said that and she looked at Angela as if to dare her to say anything differently. She gave a self-satisfied smile.

Angela gave a slight strained smile as she looked away slightly. It was sudden when she came back with a punch with the full force of her telekinetic ability behind it. It made contact with Ruby and did more than made her stagger back. The result was Ruby giving a punch back and she didn’t hold back. She didn’t hold back when Dean entered and she gave him a couple of punches and she gave a few clouts to Sam and sent him into a beam.

Angela jumped in and gave Dean some room to breathe. She took a couple of punches but she countered with a few of her own and they were just as hard. She did get knocked away and that allowed Ruby to give Deana few more punches and a kick. Ruby said, “You don’t have what it takes.”

Angela stood up with her eyes narrowed and teeth gritted and replied, “Are you sure about that?”

The next thing Ruby knew, she was being flung through the air. She found herself slammed into the wall and suspended. There was increased pressure on her midriff but she wasn’t going to give the satisfaction of crying out. She looked to see Angela advancing, her eyes glowing orbs. She chuckled, “Parlor trick, bitch. It was the same thing you did when we first met and Lilith is going to skin you alive.”

Angela narrowed her eyes as she suspended Ruby. She then made a slight motion and Ruby was flung to the ground hard and then shoved into the wall. When Ruby stood up Angela was smiling with a stupid grin.

Ruby saw the grin and asked, “What are you smiling at?”

Angela motioned to Dean who was holding her knife. “Lost something?”

Ruby was pissed and tried to charge at them both but was stopped. She looked at them both and then upwards and saw the devil’s trap. She looked at Angela and said, “This is your plan? You see how weak it is?”

Angela walked up to Ruby. She didn’t have much to worry about. “You want to talk about weak?” Her eyes began to glow.

Ruby frowned a little. Something was wrong. She was hearing voices in her head. They were the voices of her victims. Each new one was louder than the last and they were all fighting to be heard. She put her hands on her head and looked at Angela, “What are you doing to me?” The response was louder voices and her shutting her eyes in pain.

Sam and Dean knew that it was Angela’s telepathic ability. They had only had it in small doses but what she was doing was something different. From the looks of things, she was making Ruby go crazy or something and it was painful. It was rather a shock to see since this seemed a bit like torture and she didn’t do that.

Sam turned to see Angela in full concentration but he could also see that it was taking a toll. Her nose started to drip blood. He had to stop it. “Angie. Stop.”

Angela heard Sam’s voice and relented. She looked at Ruby who looked relieved and gave a glare before starting towards the stairs after saying, “You were lucky.”

Dean gave a slight sigh. That certainly wasn’t part of the plan when Angela brought it up after she spoke to Sam. “Let’s go Sam.” He followed Angela up the stairs who was trying to gain some measure of calm even though she looked like someone broke her nose with the blood coming out.

Ruby realized that they were leaving her there and started hurtling insults. “I wish I could smell the flesh sizzle off your bones. I wish I could be there to hear you scream!”

Dean gave his parting shot, “And I wish you’d shut your pie hole, but we don’t always get what we want.” That was certainly the case especially with Angela.

Dean was certain she had wanted the skank dead but he was certain that her Vulcan mind thing was what scared her into stopping; that and Sam’s quiet request. She wasn’t around when they got to the top of the stairs but she didn’t leave them since her gear was still there and she wouldn’t go anywhere without Absolution. She just needed her space for now and Sam seemed to get that too.


	3. Chapter 3

Angela finished drawing the sigils. It was something to do and it calmed her nerves but there was only so much that could do. At least she was putting her energy to use putting up protection wards and other things to ward off things that could kill you. At least she was putting her energy to use putting up protection wards and other things to ward off things that could kill you.

She had never done anything like that before it disturbed her. It was also taxing. She knew that since she did feel the blood coming out of her nose but she didn’t want to stop what she was doing. She wanted to make Ruby suffer for everything. She wanted to kill her with the voices she conjured from Ruby’s past and she didn’t care. She was past that point of caring for anything regarding Ruby. She was at the point of letting herself suffer permanent damage.

It was Sam though that stopped her. He could have shouted at her but instead he used a quiet voice of appeal. It was enough to bring her to her senses and she stopped what she was doing. She stopped and she could effectively see that she had terrified Ruby and the demon was also pissed that Dean managed to snake the knife from her.

Finished, Angela saw that she needed something else to do. Perhaps a minor training exercise would help. She looked around and then muttering a few choice words, she gave the whistle. It was instantaneous for Cerebus to show up. Ever since that success in that town in Ohio, the mutt’s response time had increased. He didn’t even need the medallion to activate it anymore.

Cerebus was there in a flash and was panting in that happy puppy way of his. Angela couldn’t help but smile and she patted him on the shoulder. He was in his usual hellhound look meaning that he was not visible but she could see him. “Getting there pretty fast boy. Can you do that visible trick thing you do?”

Cerebus gave a sort of growl as he did that trick he did before. He appeared in his huge Rottweiler look and was still panting like a puppy. He barked like a dog and gave a slight bounce on his feet.

Angela chuckled. She still couldn’t get how Cerebus was able to do what he could do but she could guess that it had to do with his uniqueness. He was bred differently from other hellhounds. This was going to be a trial and error thing with him. She patted Cerebus’ shoulder and said, “You want to do a small jaunt boy?”

Cerebus bounced and barked. Jaunts he liked to do and he could sense that his alpha was not in a good mood. He could sense her distress when he was called and decided to do what he could to try and make her happy. It did confuse him as to why her alpha wasn’t doing his job in that area but it was nice to feel wanted.

Angela laughed a little, feeling better already. “Alright boy. Just a small one around the place. We need to stretch your legs and I think we might have a job for you.” She started on a light jog and smiled when Cerebus started jogging with her.

It took two laps before she felt sufficient to go in and prepare for going after Lilith. It was barely a sweat for Cerebus but it was enough to get the both of them into the mode for hunting. Angela said nothing much as she went back into the house and the boys were loading their guns. Apparently they had been in some sort of discussion about Ruby. It wasn’t exactly the kind of conversation that she would want to overhear but she knew Sam and he wasn’t the kind to just let go especially if someone threw him a bone like what Ruby did.

The truth was, Angela knew that Sam could be capable of taking out Lilith with those abilities if they were allowed to surface. The problem was that in order for that to occur, it would require that he go down a path that literally is the path to perdition. Sure there was such a thing as good intentions but sometimes those intentions got twisted.

As a natural born demon, if you get the gist, there was no problem with her using them but there was that little thing called her human half. She knew the war that raged within and that it was a delicate balance between what humans called morality and the blank senselessness and primal instinct. The creatures of the supernatural did have rational thought but they had a tendency to go with their natures.

Maybe that was what Angela feared and she did think about it. She worried that one day she might just give in and never come back. It would be a step up from a Fallen but in her mind it was the same thing. Hell she was ready to let it take over and make Ruby suffer and she wanted to kill her. The boys knew what she was capable of and Ruby was right; all they saw were the parlor tricks that were easiest to keep in mind.

As she packed her bags and laid aside Absolution and her chakram for the upcoming battle, she listened to the conversation between the brothers. She knew that they knew she was there and listening to every word but she wasn’t going to interfere. There were still some things that could only be discussed between brothers even though she was a part of their family.

“We go in smart or we don’t go in at all,” Sam was saying.

“This ain’t smart.” Dean clearly didn’t want to continue this discussion. He spotted Angela and she was examining her chakram. The hell mutt was at her feet and at least he was presentable. He figured she must have been experimenting with his trick. Whatever rocked her boat to get over what happened down there.

“We got just one shot Dean. So if there’s a sure fire way, then maybe we should just talk about it,” Sam was pleading.

“Sam, we are not gonna make the same mistake all over again. Hell I’m not even going to let Angie do that and she is more than capable of working with that psychic mojo. I can’t let you or her do that.”

“You said that before, but what does that mean?”

Dean looked at his little brother with a pleading expression. This was not how he wanted things to go down. “Don’t you see a pattern? Dad’s deal, my deal, now this. I mean every time one of us is up the creek, the other’s just begging to sell their soul.” He noticed that Angela had left with her bag. She was just loading up. He decided to tell Sam the truth, “I mean even Angie was and probably is still willing to give up her vamp half to save me.”

“What?”

“You remember when we were made to play that maze game? That was pure Angie. I mean no superpowers, no nothing. She was completely human and that was so she could get consideration for a hearing.” Dean paused as he watched the realization dawn on his brother’s features. “Yeah Sam. She did that and you saw the end result after that. Ruby’s just jerking your chain with this. You know what that road is paved with.”

It was a bit of a shock to hear about what Angela tried to do for Dean and Sam took a moment to think about his next words. Maybe there was some truth to what Dean said about the pattern. The thing was she would do the same for either of them but that was beside the point. The fact that she was willing to give up her longevity… that said something. Still there were questions to be answered. “What are you afraid is going to happen? This is me, I can handle it.” He was willing to do the same she was willing to do. “And if it’ll save you…”

“Why even risk it? You saw what happened in there with Angie and don’t tell me you didn’t feel that surge of power.” Dean looked at Sam. His brother was going to be persistent in this and he was hoping that Sam would remember seeing what he saw in the basement.

Sam gave the answer that was so simple in his mind, “Because you’re my brother. Because you did the same thing for me. Angie thinks the same way.”

“Sam, she was pissed at Ruby. She wanted to do it and didn’t care what it was doing to her,” Dean replied. He had seen the look in her eyes.

“But she cares about you Dean. She loves you like you were her brother and we are all that she has since she hasn’t figured it out about… you know. I don’t think there is nothing she wouldn’t do for either of us, for Bobby…”

“And that’s what scares me and should worry you too. She could turn into someone that is not the person we know. Look at how my actions turned out.” Dean looked down at the gun he was holding. “All I’m saying… Sammy, all I’m saying is that you’re my weak spot. You are as well as Angie and I’m yours and we’re both Angie’s weak spot.”

“No, you don’t mean that. We’re family. All three of us,” Sam replied looking at Dean with a firm look.

“I know,” Dean replied with a knowing look, “And those evil sons of bitches know it too. I mean what we’ll do for each other, you know, how far we’ll go. They’re using it against us… all three of us. That last thing with the ugly broad Tiamat and the other times? They knew she would come for us just like we came for her.”

“So we just stop looking out for each other?”

Dean looked at Sam and was about to respond when Angela’s voice cut in softly, “No, we stop being martyrs. It was why Dean had me promise not to go trading in my superpowers for his life. We stop spreading it for these demons. Granted it’s the human side of things to react spontaneously but…” She nodded as if that would make her point get across. “The point is we don’t stop looking after each other; we just do it smarter.”

Dean couldn’t help but smile at her. Her shameless eavesdropping and timing with the advice was an art form. Maybe he did wrong by telling Sam about what she did earlier to get a hearing but it didn’t seem to matter anymore. He picked up Ruby’s knife and looked at Sam and said, “That’s right and we’re gonna take this knife and Angie takes Absolution and we go after Lilith our way. The way Dad taught us to and the way you taught us Angie; that whole thing about honor. And if we go down…”

“Then we go down swinging,” Angela affirmed. Cerebus barked in agreement as he came around to nudge Dean on his knee.

Dean couldn’t help but pet the hell mutt. The thing had been helpful taking out Tiamat and following a few other leads after Doc Benton. He fished in his pocket and found one of those dog biscuits that Angela made and held it out to the mutt. He then looked at Sam, “What do you think?”

Sam couldn’t help it, “I think you should have been jamming “Eye of the Tiger.”

“Oh bite me,” Dean scoffed as he stood up. “You know I totally rehearsed that speech you know.”

Angela just started laughing. It was moments like these that helped lighten the mood. That didn’t mean that the job wasn’t to be taken seriously. She coughed a little to get a hold of herself but she couldn’t stop.

Sam was chuckling too. Angela’s laughter was contagious once she got going. When she sobered he did too. He knew they were both right and he could guess that Angela knew that road that Ruby was jerking his chain down. He wasn’t stupid and he saw what she was capable of. She implied as much when she said the Centurion did a force test on her. It was no wonder she would rather eat crap than do anything for them. Sighing he went back to the job, “So, Indiana, huh?”

“Yeah, where Lilith is on shore leave,” Dean replied. He glanced at Angela who was making a slight face at that. That told him she had a pretty good idea what that meant. He looked at her and said, “Tell me something Angie… What the hell does a demon do for fun?”

Angela raised her brow. “You’re kidding right?”

“Just asking since you’ve you know…” Dean shrugged his shoulders in his typical fashion. It was something to ask and there was the slightest hint of curiosity about the whole thing. Hell he knew what she liked to do for fun.

Angela made a puzzled frown at that thinking that it was completely out of left field. “Well I don’t think you want to know regarding Lilith. I know Lenya likes her games playing around with mythology.” She made a slight face. “You know…” She made a noise and walked away not noticing the stupid grin on Dean’s face.

Sam did and said, “You really are a jerk, Dean.”

“Hey, I was curious. Besides did you see the look on her face? It’s hard getting that look,” Dean replied feeling better already. He caught the look that Angela shot him and saw her reach into her pocket. There was the biscuit flying and he caught it with his mouth.

Sam made a slight look of disgust, “Dude, seriously? You’re still eating the dog’s biscuits?”

“Just a reward for getting the jump on her,” Dean replied as he chewed on it. He was going to miss these. He looked down at Cerebus who was giving him the look and he gave a small piece to the mutt.

Sam couldn’t help the incredulous look on his face. He looked at Angela who was just smiling as she was putting her chakram on her belt. She then started tying on her gauntlets. He could tell that she was going to go through with what Dean said; it was their way and if they went down, it was going down swinging. He caught her eye and she mouthed, ‘bulldog.’

Sam couldn’t help but chuckle. Dean probably wouldn’t see the connection between her pet name for his brother and the fact that he liked to snack on dog biscuits that she made originally for the hell mutt. He finished packing his gear and started loading up with her. He took the opportunity to ask, “So, you doing okay? You know?” He motioned with his finger.

“I’m fine. You know I have some extra adamantium silver clips if you want them,” Angela offered. She opened her duffle in the trunk and fished a clip out.

“No I think the iron rounds will work,” Sam replied. He looked at the lid of the trunk and took a breath and bit the bullet, “Angie, what Ruby said about you…”

“What do you want me to say, Sam? Yes she told me the same thing and she did give me a few ideas. One was the idea of bringing Lilith to us instead of chasing after her. The others were going down a path that she knew I would have to be at the end of a rope, down to a thread before I would agree to it,” Angela replied as she put the clips back and zipped up the duffle.

“And the whole thing about what you said…”

“What it would take to activate dormant psychic crap? I have a very good idea what she was getting at but I didn’t get the cigar,” Angela replied. “I don’t want to get into a fight over it Sam but can I ask that you trust me on this one? The means I think she wanted to use, I have seen the result of them with… someone I once knew. Trust me, it’s perdition straight through.”

Sam nodded. “And about what happened?”

“Rage.” Angela sighed as she rubbed her head. “I hadn’t felt that in a long time and I was just getting started.”

“I remember what you told me about the testing thing.”

“Yep and I’m not doing that again. I think I’ll just stick to tossing people around.”

Sam said nothing after that but helped her load the Impala while Dean played with Cerebus. He knew that she would rather not talk about it but she did let him know that she was better. She asked patience of him once and he did go back on that a few times. Since then he was willing to give it another shot.

****

“Family don’t end with blood, boy,” Bobby was saying with a fierce glare at Dean. “Ya think ya would have learned that with Angie tagging along.”

“Thanks for making me feel wanted Bobby,” Angela replied in slight sarcasm.

“Ya know what I mean ya idjit girl,” Bobby retorted. He then looked back at Dean and added, “Besides, ya need me. You’re playing wounded. Tell me, how many hallucinations have you had so far?”

Dean looked at Sam who was looking confused and noticed Angela crossing her arms like she was preparing to scold him. She knew too. That was just perfect. He looked at Bobby and asked, “How’d you know?”

“Because that’s what happens when you got hellhounds on your butt. And I’m betting someone else knew from the get go too.” Bobby cast a pointed look in Angela’s direction. “And that someone owns a hellhound.”

Angela had her arms crossed and had three pairs of eyes looking at her. She raised her brow and saw Bobby trying to be the parent, Dean was more or less surprised and Sam had his confused puppy look. She replied, “Alright, yes I knew Dean started having hallucinations and a nightmare or two. It’s not that hard to observe.”

“And having a hell mutt does nothing to that?” Dean had to ask. It was uncharted territory with what had happened to her this past year.

“Please. I can see them just like I can sniff out a demon. It’s just a quirk. The only reason I am familiar with this is because…”

“You know someone who knew someone who made a deal,” Dean interrupted, “I get it.” He really didn’t want to have Bobby get involved with this but the grizzled hunter made a point that he and Sam made to each other. Family didn’t end with blood. Hell Angela wasn’t their blood sister but they countered her as one and she did the same for them.

“Actually I was going to say that Cerebus was on my ass and you know what happened there,” Angela replied with a poker face. “You know that phrase of you’ve seen one and you’ve seen it all. That pretty much is my deal.”

Bobby looked at Angela as she was standing there. Cerebus was sitting by her like an obedient dog. It looked like she was experimenting with his visibility trick. He noticed the new collar with the amulet she had made to summon him hanging on it like a dog tag. He then looked back at Dean, “I’m going.” He held up the part he had removed from the Impala.

“Thanks for bringing Deanna, Bobby,” Angela said.

“Baby drives like a dream.”

“I just hope Lonelle Chevelle isn’t jealous,” Angela joked with a grin on her face

“Not after the treatment you promised her,” Bobby replied. “She said that you had an oil change and radiator flush appointment for her.”

Angela couldn’t help but laugh. Ever since she restored that Chevelle to working order, Bobby always found something for her to do on it when she made a pit stop in Sioux Falls. Sometimes levity was a good thing. She looked at Dean and Sam and said, “What can I say? My skills are in demand.”

“Very funny Angie,” Dean replied with a slight smile. “So I take it you’re driving Deanna?”

“Pretty much but don’t think that I’m gonna leave you two alone,” Angela replied. She had been toying with an idea that was pretty much a last minute thing and it could prove helpful. She also had something she wanted to run by Bobby but she didn’t want Dean to be left in too vulnerable a state. He was seeing hallucinations now and it was only going to get worse the closer it got. He needed another ally besides Sam.

Dean narrowed his eyes slightly as he popped the hood to replace the part that Bobby stole out of the Impala. “I don’t think I like the sound of that. What do you have in mind Sis?”

Angela gave a slight whistle and a motion. Cerebus barked and jumped into the backseat of the Impala through the open window. He made himself comfortable and gave a bark.

“Oh hell no. No dogs in the car Angie. If you want that kind of smell in Deanna be my guest,” Dean protested as he put the part back in.

“I’m not arguing with you Dean,” Angela replied, “I’m telling you. He’s going.” When Dean looked up and started to speak, she held up her hand warning him not to talk but to listen. “Good boy,” she said when he complied. She could hear Sam snickering but ignored it as she explained, “Dean, consider this an insurance of sorts. Cerebus will watch both your backs and I think considering that with your hallucinations… They’re only going to get worse Dean.”

“And you think I need babysitting by the hell mutt?”

“An extra pair of eyes doesn’t hurt,” Angela replied. She knew this was hard enough on everyone. “Besides most people don’t pay attention to him anyway when there are other things going on and he’s pretty good at sniffing out the demons.”

Dean looked at the mutt who was giving him the look. Great, there was one more thing that can give the puppy eyes that Sam mastered at the age of three, Angela probably mastered at the same age and the mutt on which it was disturbing to see since he was supposed to be a badass hellhound. He looked back at Angela who was giving him a look with her eyes. He knew that she was telling him that if she was busy, the mutt would watch his back and keep the hellhounds at bay if necessary while she was doing what she said she was going to do. “And who watches your back Angie? I know you’re good with the whole slinking in the shadows thing and that thing you did in the basement…”

“Years of practice with that. How else was I supposed to keep an eye on two brothers who seemed to attract trouble like a magnet,” Angela teased a little. She knew though that Dean was being serious. He was worried about her and her decision. If she thought about it, it was being a bit hypocritical on her end about being martyrs but the plan was going to be done her way like Dean said so… She looked at him and added, “We will look out for each other and I have a few ideas back in a certain time.”

It was somewhat reassuring to Dean. He could tolerate the mutt and it wasn’t like he wasn’t going to chew the leather and he didn’t smell that bad. “Okay, Angie but if he pees on the leather, you’re cleaning it. Full detail.”

“Impa will get a full spa treatment,” Angela promised.

“Glad to see ya two finally finished. Now let’s get going and don’t be stopping to pee every ten minutes either. Besides it’s not like yer gonna lose us with Angie at the wheel,” Bobby said.

Angela chuckled as she walked by Dean to pat his shoulder. She took the opportunity to lean in and whisper something in his ear under the pretense of giving him a kiss. She walked up to Bobby and took the keys saying, “I’m driving.”


	4. Chapter 4

“So let me get this straight,” Haley looked at the man with a pointed look. It took some convincing but they continued their conversation in the room since she felt better with Aaron being his usual bodyguard self. “You want me to stop Angela from doing what she thinks is the right thing and that is saving Dean’s life? You have any idea how stupid that sounds?”

Faisal knew that he was going to be met with a lot of resistance to what he was trying to do. It would be hard for them to understand and he didn’t expect them to. Such a thing did require lengthy lifespans like his to understand. He replied, “You must understand, it has to happen.”

“If this is a spiel about destiny and how it’s written, you know that goes right out the window in terms of free will,” Haley replied. “Besides why should I stop her from trying to save one of the few people that means a whole lot to her?”

“Besides why should we trust the word of a vampire?” Aaron looked at Faisal with a suspicious eye. He knew the guy was a vampire the moment he walked in through the door. Which kind he was still was up for debate since there were three kinds.

Faisal was impressed with the boy. There were few who could detect anything past the carefully built façade of an elderly vampire. There were ways to make them blend in and not attract too much attention especially if there happened to be blood drainings nearby. He replied, “You shouldn’t but I suspect that you already trust the word of one… well half vampire.”

Haley was eyeing the vampire with a scrutinizing eye. She could tell that he was very old. The movements were very fast and smooth and in some instances he was trying to be deliberately slow. Sometimes fast movements startled people. The fact that he knew a lot about Angela told her one of two things. One was that he must have come across her some time in the distant past or that he had heard of her and was out for something and the motive she couldn’t pick up on yet. She replied, “So you know what she is. Do you know who she is?”

“The who is not important. What’s important is that she not be allowed to go through with her plans.”

“You keep saying that but I don’t think you understand what I’m saying,” Haley replied, “Angie is going to do what she can because he means something to her. Unless you give me a good reason to drop everything and go after her, you are stuck.” She crossed her arms to indicate that she meant what she said.

Faisal nodded in acquiescence. It was clear that even the daughter of a renowned witch doctor needed things spilled out. It never occurred to him that it was possible she knew what was going on but she would rather forgo the flowery stuff that she had been brought up on. It made things easier in the long run. He replied, “If Absolution goes after Lilith, there is a strong possibility that she will die.”

“That is usually the risk when someone fights the big baddie,” Haley countered. She gave a slight shrug of her shoulders.

“Absolution cannot be allowed to die.”

Haley knew what Faisal was saying was true. She saw it in her vision walk. Angela chased the demon and paid the price both spiritually and physically and that was if she continued on the path that she was on. “People say that and we’ve all read the prophecies and stories about Absolution.”

Faisal felt he was losing his patience. Back in his day, the youth respected that which was older than they were. They didn’t question what was being told of them. He could respect the inquisitive mind however since he had lived through the ages. This though, it seemed as if the girl was being deliberately vague about what he was talking about. “Then you know the role that Absolution plays in the future.”

Haley had enough. She replied, “Yeah I know and I know that Angie would say fuck off to that. She knows why she was saddled with Absolution but she does things her way.”

“And that is going to get her killed. Lilith knows that she’s after her.”

“And so does everyone who pays attention to the grapevine,” Haley countered. She knew that line. That was how she found out that Angela was chasing the demon. At first she thought it was the original demon that made the deal but then the rumors of death hits on her head cropped up, Haley kept an eye on it.

She had made a couple of calls to Dean but she always got his voice mail and she would leave a message for him to call her back. He did a couple of times and other times he didn’t. She figured that they were low points in the whole deal thing that he was dealing with. She didn’t know that one time she called was when he and Sam were dealing with Angela’s ‘death’ and that whole rollercoaster that led to them bringing her back.

“Then you should know that the grapevine does have some modicum of truth,” Faisal replied. He had to admit that this girl was clever when it came to revealing her hand. She had practice and she wasn’t stupid. “Some of those rumors were started by Absolution herself.”

Haley didn’t reveal her response on her face. The grapevine was what it was. There was some truth to the stories that were told but they were highly shrouded in lies and half-truths and often were used as a means of flushing out the suckers to pick them off. Some worked better than others and the stories about Angela were the proof in that.

Aaron had heard these same stories himself. Being what he was, he spent most of his life living off the grid. He learned about the supernatural from various hunters, never staying on one place long enough. That was how he learned the stories about the warrior princess who tangled with demons and sent spirits to the other side or whatever the embellishment was. Some stories he heard twice and they grew. That was until he chanced upon the Celtic warriors. He had been afraid they would attempt to kill him once they found out but they let him stay. Then he was asked to watch out for Haley.

The vampire seemed to know about the way how the grapevine worked. He even seemed to know which stories were total bullshit and which ones bore some semblance of truth. Aaron said, “And some were started by others and they kept adding to it the more times they repeated it.”

“That is usually the case with stories but I do know that Absolution, the warrior princess, was forged in battle and weaned on siege under the very guidance of the Nile river gods Satet and Hapi,” Faisal replied. He adjusted his coat since it had started to hang at an awkward angle. “She wields the sword known as Absolution with kindness and justice in her heart.”

“Well I don’t know if she would agree to that last part but the part about her being trained by the god and goddess is correct,” Haley replied. So the vampire knew a thing or two. It was a matter of deciding if he was friend or foe. “So we can agree on what the truth is on her stories. What is it that you want?”

“Like I said before, Absolution must not be allowed to chase the demon,” Faisal replied.

Haley widened her eyes slightly. That was the phrase she used when she was warning Dean about Angela’s activities. How would he know about that? It was fishy even to her. “So you mean to stop her from helping her friends?” It was easier to beat around the bush on this one since she wasn’t sure of what he completely knew.

“Your friend is chasing the demon with something that is unique to them. She can’t break it otherwise the consequences would be disastrous.” Faisal knew he was probably overdramatizing everything but his point needed to be made clear. Absolution could not be allowed to steal the contract; not if she wanted to keep the younger brother alive.

“Life and death serious?”

Faisal had to hand it to the girl for getting right to the point. She knew her duty but she preferred doing it her way and so far it seemed that she was doing what she did best. Maybe he could get her on board. He replied, “Yes and it involves a certain stipulation of a contract made by one Dean Winchester.”

Haley took in the revelation with little emotion. She suspected this guy knew things. You didn’t get far in the hunting game without learning how to know a few things. “You know at this point I should be asking you how you know this.”

“And I should be asking you how it is you managed to know Dean Winchester, the Slayer of Demons?” Faisal countered. He crossed his arms and raised his brow. He liked a good challenge every now and then.

“A twist of fate that he came to town where I was hiding,” Haley supplied. Her instincts were telling her that this guy was not like a demon. His motives didn’t seem completely pure but they weren’t designed to bring permanent harm like death. “He and his brother happened to chance upon a case there. Surely you have heard of Club Albion?”

“Ah yes, the retro club. I always did like the swinging twenties and into the thirties and forties. The fifties were too…” Faisal went down memory lane a bit but only to make a point. “I did hear rumor though that it was destroyed by a power outage and flooding.”

“That was what I heard too. Of course I was being rescued since I was kidnapped,” Haley replied. There were some lines she wouldn’t cross and that was the whole thing regarding the Rose. They needed to be protected by her just as much as her parents seemed to think she needed protection that was given by Aaron.

“Unlikely story but I will buy that for now. It is clear that you know Dean Winchester and I know that you know that he made a certain contract with his soul as the currency.” Faisal didn’t need her to respond since he could see it in her eyes. He did have to admit that she had a good poker face in this game.

“And if I did, do you think he would tell me the details?”

“Look, I know you aren’t stupid. You know that the clock is ticking and you know that he travels with Absolution.”

“Friends do that,” Haley replied with a nonchalant shrug.

Faisal realized he wasn’t going to get anywhere with this line of questioning. He got serious, “I understand your need to protect your friends but this is a life or death situation. If Absolution goes for the contract she most certainly will die.”

Haley figured that out from her little vision thing. It was nice that they were on the same page now. “Glad to see we’re on the same page. For your information, I have a feeling that Dean will figure it out and I was going to talk to him about it.”

That was a relief to Faisal. It occurred to him that the girl knew all along and was just being difficult on purpose. It certainly made sense considering that she had held him with a wary eye ever since he showed up. “That’s good but you must act now. Physically stop her.”

“No one makes Absolution do anything,” Haley recited from an old piece of testimony. “The best thing to do is ask.”

“Then ask her to stop.”

“Like I said, Dean would have figured it out and did it already.” Haley looked at the vampire with a look that clearly indicated that he was being a senile old fool. “They have a system and they don’t need me. If anything the most drastic thing she would try is to go into hell to get him back and frankly I don’t see anything that would stop her from doing that.”

Faisal paused a moment. That was rather interesting. He replied, “You’re saying that she would go to the pit just for one human?”

“Can you think of a better reason why she is called Absolution?”

****

Sam cast a glance at his brother who had this slight curl of a smile on his lip. In fact he had that look ever since they booked and started down the highway towards New Harmony, Indiana. Well that was after she gave Dean a kiss and he noticed his brother’s ears turn visibly red from the action. Even in the darkest hour, she managed to find something to keep spirits up.

“You keep looking at me like that, I’m gonna have to slug you and then she’s gonna bitch about ruining your pretty face.”

Sam gave a slight look and replied, “No she won’t.”

“A pack of lies Sam,” Dean replied smirking at his brother. A glance in the rearview told him she was still on his tail. At one point he thought he lost her but she appeared in front of him as a warning. She was good. “I know because a few of those accidents I caused with the hell mutt here were done on purpose.”

“You caused yourself injury just to get sympathy from her after she scolded you?” Sam couldn’t believe what his brother was saying. “You really are low, jerk.”

“And she saw right through it bitch,” Dean replied. He stared at the road. “She can sniff out bullshit better than I can and I still got pie.” He grinned at the memory.

He decided to try making one of the more difficult concoctions that she was running low on and hadn’t had time to make. She had told him she would get to it but he wanted to surprise her. Now Dean Winchester wasn’t a man to cook but he was pretty good at handling a stove when the occasion called for it so he pulled out the book and tried his hand. Of course he misread a few things and he ended up in a situation that had Sam laughing and Angela getting that schoolmarm look before she forgave him and a piece of fresh peach cobbler.

Sam smiled showing his teeth. Leave it to Dean to remember times like that. It made what they were about to do not sound so grim. “Dude, she would serve you pie no matter what.”

“Just like she would serve you your girly salads.”

“You know the few times she’s cooked at Bobby’s she served you healthy food.”

“Because I’m smart Sammy. I know that it’s best to not mess with someone that can not only kick my ass royally but could also make me dance in the middle of the street butt naked and I wouldn’t know it.” Dean sighed a bit in good humor refusing to let the memory of what happened in the basement to cloud the absurdity of the statement she made when describing her abilities. “She did manage to convince hell on four legs here to steal my stuff.”

Cerebus had been lounging in the back seat. He had been asked by his alpha to watch out for Dean, the beta and he would do it. His alpha’s alpha seemed to be in a better mood than from before. Whatever they were doing he would be ready and he would protect them both. Upon hearing one of the references Dean had for him, he stuck his head between his and Sam’s and lolled his tongue in that happy puppy mode.

“Eww I didn’t mean for you to get your ass up,” Dean spluttered. He was lucky he didn’t jerk the wheel too much especially when the mutt gave him a lick on the cheek. “Hell on four legs, that’s what ya are.”

“I think he took it as a compliment,” Sam replied as he reached up and rubbed one of Cerebus’ ears. He had always wanted a dog when they were kids but with the life they led, it was near impossible. Now they actually had one that was going to stay and granted it wasn’t the normal type of dog one would have, it was good. It just wasn’t his fault that Cerebus and Setna seemed fit to pick on Dean though his brother seemed to have a preference to cats.

Cerebus growled in pleasure after leaving a big glob of drool on Dean’s shoulder. He liked both brothers but it was always easier to pick on the elder brother. He turned his attention to Sam and put his head down on the younger hunter’s shoulder.

Dean was giving mock disgust at having been drooled on. Leave it to Sam to get the bigger end of the stick when it came to animals. At least the damn fur ball didn’t try anything. “Could you be a little less disgusting?” He started wiping the drool off.

Sam chuckled as he continued to pet Cerebus and rub his ears. “I think he’s trying to say that he likes you Dean.”

“The hell he is,” Dean replied. He reached into his jacket pocket. He really didn’t want to share since he figured he only had enough to last the trip to Indiana but hell the mutt had to learn discipline. He had to learn that when it came to the Impala, he was the boss. Pulling out what he wanted, he broke it in half and tossed the other half into the backseat. “Take that you overgrown hell mutt and rule number one, you keep your ass in that seat until the car stops.”

“Like he’s gonna listen to that,” Sam replied as he watched Cerebus sniff out whatever it was that Dean threw into the back. He looked at his brother who was holding something and took a bite out of it. “Dude, what is it with you and dog biscuits?”

“They’re good.”

“Yeah if you’re a dog,” Sam replied with a look that said his brother was defying weird. “Why do you like those things?”

“They’re good, Sammy,” Dean repeated through a mouthful of biscuit. “I know you like them.” He shot Sam a knowing look. Oh yeah he caught Sam trying one of them out and kept it a secret for potential blackmail. He even once saw Bobby taste one and that was damn hilarious but even more so when Angela chewed one right in front of him.

“I was wondering what it was about them that had you gorging on them like you do pie,” Sam defended himself.

“You know Angie eats these too so you know they gotta be good for humans as well as mutts,” Dean replied still chewing while motioning with the uneaten portion. “That girl has recipes that just make you wonder when she found time for hunting.”

“Probably rounding up her strays as poor test subjects,” Sam deadpanned in a fit of humor. He paused a moment to consider the fact that he referred to the hunters she trained throughout the years as strays like she did. He gave a slight shake of his head thinking her habits were rubbing off on him.

“Maybe,” Dean replied as he fished another biscuit out of his pocket. Being nice he broke it in half and tossed one half back at Cerebus who caught it in his mouth. He grinned remembering when Angela did the same to him. “You know she calls them strays in that strange affectionate way of hers?”

“Like she calls you a bulldog?”

“Hey it’s because I’m the handsome one and you’re just the cute shaggy puppy. I mean I bet she entertained the notion once to tie that unruly mop of yours with pink bows or something equally girly.”

Sam shot a mild form of the bitch face at his brother. “Bite me, jerk.”

Dean chuckled as he took a bite of his half of biscuit. It was easy to tease Sam about her going girly on him since his brother thought she was more tomboy than girly even though they both had seen her in a dress, which Sam turned into a drooling idiot and didn’t know it. Also they had seen her more feminine skills like her cooking and of course that shirt she made Sam that fit his frame perfectly complete with embroidery. “Maybe the ribbons will be embroidered.”

“Jerk.”

“Hey she’s got mean skills with a needle. I mean she fixed us up plenty of times and not so much as a scar.” Dean paused a moment to study the road ahead. They were going to have to pull over soon to gas up if they were going to make it to Indiana before Lilith noticed something was up. “She’s good about a lot of things Sam but there are some things she’s still a baby in. Worse than you on some things.”

Sam frowned a bit in puzzlement. He heard this before when they were in the desert in New Mexico. He replied, “You know she is capable of figuring things out for herself.”

“Yeah I know Sam but… I’m just saying that if this doesn’t work, it’s gonna be just as hard on her as it will be for you.”

“Dean, she’s like the strongest person I know…”

“Oh yeah? And what about when she was faced with the fact that she probably wasn’t going to see anymore? Sam, I could practically see it in the way she plastered that fake smile on and you could too.”

Sam could admit that since he saw it. He could admit she didn’t take failure very well if the walking off into the desert was any indication of that. “Dean, we can’t just baby her. You know she’ll put up a fight on that.”

“I know,” Dean replied a little forcefully. He sighed to calm down a little and then said, “Just… be nice. That’s all I’m asking. I know that if you push, she’ll push back or restrain herself from the temptation of slapping you.”

“Yeah I know I was an ass then and several times over,” Sam admitted. He was still punishing himself over that and had been trying to be nice about the pestering as Dean called it. The way he saw it though sometimes that was needed to get her to come out of her shell especially if something was really bothering her. “Seriously though, are you asking me to watch out for her?” He looked at his brother to see if he was being serious.

“That’s what I’m asking,” Dean replied. In the long run, that might help Sam realize how much she meant and not in the sister type of way. “Just be nice about a few things.”

“Right and I suppose you told her to do the same for me?”

“She doesn’t need me to tell her,” Dean replied, “She already knows. It was one of the first things I taught her.”

“I think she amended that rule,” Sam replied, knowing what Dean meant. Even though he was not six years old anymore, Dean still had a set of rules that guided his actions. Number one was ‘Look after Sammy,’ and that hadn’t changed since they were kids. “I think for her it’s Number one: Keep Sam and Dean out of trouble.”

“Whatever, bitch.”

Sam grinned at his brother’s reaction. “So did you two set a date with that kiss?”

Cerebus let out a low rumble as if he were curious about the answer. It made Sam chuckle especially when the mutt stuff his head into the front for another head rub much to Dean’s chagrin. In the end Dean got back at Sam by playing the radio and started singing Metallica and that led to Cerebus howling along.


	5. Chapter 5

“Ya know yer probably the oldest idjit I’ve ever met even though yer smart like me.”

Angela chuckled as she navigated her baby down the highway. She judged that they would need to be pulling over for a gas up soon. It was a relief but also a sense of foreboding since they were one step closer to actually going against Lilith. “As Dean once said, I’m the dumbest smart person in the room.”

“I think he meant that about Sam.”

“Is there a difference?”

Bobby knew she used humor to deflect what she was feeling and granted he had been observant the past few months, he noticed a few things. He also learned from mistakes the boys made when they got too close to an issue that she particularly didn’t want to discuss. “Not really considering you three seem to do the same thing: give advice about what not to do and then go and not follow it.”

“I try,” Angela replied. “Been trying but there are some things I am not ready to touch even though it’s been centuries.”

“Heck of a long time not to discuss something though I’m guessing that it’s bad as in never should be experienced by anyone bad,” Bobby replied.

“Something like that,” Angela answered, “And I’ve done some internal psychobabble with myself to know some things.” She glanced over at Bobby and then at the state of the car. She had put the top down as per habit and she grinned. It was pretty funny considering that Bobby was dressed like he would be when towing junkers complete with trucker cap and he was riding in a classic convertible with an engine modified to be a racer.

“Well I can hand that to ya,” Bobby groused. He debated on whether or not to go into that discussion of what he agreed to help her with and what he managed to find out by accident. He decided that since the boys weren’t around, he could get to the bottom of things without causing enough drama as there already was. “So where did you pull that idea about summoning Lilith?”

“Dean wanted another option. I gave it and because of the high risk of me doing what I did in Monument was a sticking point, I didn’t press it,” Angela replied as she made a correction. Even at eighty miles an hour, she had quick enough reflexes to dodge a mean pothole that would have ruined any car.

“Interesting cause I was under the impression that you were trying to get the boys to agree to bring the demon to us and attempt something that would result in Dean not going to hell,” Bobby dropped as he glanced at Angela. “Is that what you were trying to do?”

“I offered a solution Bobby. Dean didn’t want it,” Angela repeated.

“Don’t lie to me, Angie. I got a call from a Missouri Mosley a few days back and she mentioned something about needing a specific sigil of transfer.”

Angela didn’t take her eyes off the road. She didn’t want to look at Bobby for the moment and tried her tactic of humor. “I see someone’s been reading my messages.”

“Don’t try to spin this off as me spying on ya,” Bobby retorted, nipping it in the bud. It may work when Sam or Dean got to close but not this time. “A sigil of transfer is specific to crossroad deals. What are ya trying to do?”

Angela sighed. She had gotten the call from Missouri about that. Apparently the woman decided that her answer wasn’t satisfying enough and somehow managed to find Bobby’s number and tell him. She guessed she should be grateful that she didn’t call Sam or Dean because that would have been a different kettle of fish altogether. Since they were on the final stretch and Bobby was determined to get answers, she might as well give some. “Just trying to help Dean out.”

“With what? Making a deal? After all Dean went on about in not making the same mistakes…”

“I’m not doing that Bobby. I’m trying to make it so Dean doesn’t have to go to hell and Sam doesn’t drop dead.”

It was amazing that Angela was able to keep her eyes on the road and try hard not to scream out her intentions. Man she had almost let it eat her alive and it was on the side since she was more focused on what to do when they got to Indiana in terms of the knife and making sure she didn’t freak out Sam and Dean with a repeat performance. She looked at Bobby who was looking at her and was surprised at the look on his face. She calmed down and continued, “The plan was to get just Lilith in one place. Demons her level don’t usually go anywhere without at least one minion. The sigil of transfer was to be used to transfer Dean’s deal from her to me.”

“Are you trying to become a crossroads demon? What are ya planning?”

“Once I had the deal, I would have the power to make changes. I could fix it so that Dean didn’t have to go to hell and that Sam wouldn’t die.” Angela followed the Impala off the off ramp. The sign said that there was a station to fill up. “That was a last ditch effort. I told Dean about it and let him think about it. The thing is I have to get close enough to Lilith to do it and for me it’s like walking into the lion’s den… well that’s pretty much it with all three of us.”

“So Dean knows but not Sam. Why?”

“You know Sam, Bobby. He would insist on it.” Angela frowned slightly as she remembered that whole conversation about what Ruby was suggesting Sam do. Desperation was a good motivator to do things like tread down a path that was paved with the ugliness that led to perdition. In a fit of thought, she lifted her right hand and began to wrap the pendant Sam gave her in a fist and occasionally rub her fingers on it.

Bobby watched the movement. She was worried and it was about Sam. He had noticed that every time she was worried about something involving Sam, she would play with her necklace. He figured that there was more behind it; that maybe she had feelings for Sam. Dean never seemed bothered by it but he noticed the boy watched her when she did that. “You thinking that he would be that desperate enough?”

“I am or was… I think that I may have to let it pass but I do have a few ideas. I pulled them out of my ass but maybe it might make it so that I can do it.”

“So that’s why ya told Dean he was taking the mutt.”

“Cerebus will be able to detect the hounds faster than me and he has the advantage. He is a fighter and I did see when he gets into that mode… All I can say is that I’m glad humans can’t see it.”

“You really want to this? I mean it sounds like you have to become a demon in order to be able to do this…” Bobby looked at Angela. She was still playing with her necklace. He took that to mean that she was really worried and it was connected with Sam.

“There are exceptions Bobby. It was how I got Dean into this mess in the first place. I should have stopped him from doing it and I was the idiot fool who tried to make it my own deal. I mean in the grand scheme of things and the fact that there is probably isn’t a soul out there who doesn’t know who I am… I was surprised that they didn’t want my soul and I would have gladly given it. I told Dean I tried to do the same for John.”

“He was an idjit for manipulating ya into helping him by making ya swear that oath,” Bobby replied. At the look that came his way, he explained, “Sam mentioned it a while back and I poked around on stuff regarding a certain goddess.”

“I had some wiggle room. I could interpret how much I wanted to get involved and I knew that he knew I was the one that was kept Dean from completely dying.” Angela sighed as she followed the Impala to one of those old time gas pumps. She rather liked visiting those places since it was like a stroll down memory lane. That was of course if there weren’t any problems like ignorant rednecks and the like. “Sometimes I feel like I didn’t deserve that smile he gave me before passing on.”

“Maybe he did. Ya know ya ain’t perfect.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t try,” Angela countered as she pulled up to a pump. She gave a wry smile, “You know Sam said the same thing before. I don’t know Bobby… I guess I feel I have to try so hard because if I don’t, I…” She gave a shrug of her shoulders as she leapt out of the Camaro with the ease of a gymnast and pulled her wallet out. “At least it’s for something that means much to me right?”

Bobby could agree with that to some degree. “Well at least you got some sense in that brain of yours,” he groused. When she leapt out without even opening the door he scowled, “Agile, cheeky…”

“And ya love me for it,” Angela replied giving a grin before going to pay for a fill up.

Bobby waited by the car and noticed that Dean was doing the same thing waiting for Sam to pay for gas. He was grinning like an idjit and he had to wonder what was going through that boy’s head. The fact that he knew Dean was up to something was a testament to how well he got to know the boys since he looked after them when John left them to go hunting.

Bobby got the reason for Dean’s smirk was when some guy came stumbling out looking like he had seen the scariest thing he was ever going to see. The reason for that look followed in the form of a very pissed off Sam followed by Angela who looked like she was going to have to save the fleeing guy from the wrath of Sam. Bobby could only guess that the fleeing guy said or did something that didn’t agree with Sam and he could guess that it was about Angela. He looked at Dean who was trying not to laugh by picking up the nozzle and gassing the car. “Eh, idjits,” he muttered as he did the same.

****

The one thing about driving everywhere on the job was that it allowed you to think and about everything under the sun. Angela knew that Bobby meant well when he brought up the subject of the transfer sigil. He did give her some credit for telling Dean about her idea for going after the deal and doing what she could. His question about her being like a demon in order to do it, unsettled her a little and she hid it as best as she could.

Living as long as she did, she had seen war, conflict and had to make those difficult choices. Even Dean’s little speech about how far he and Sam would go for each other made her think. Ruby had mentioned that she was the only one capable of taking out Lilith because she understood the necessity of making those difficult decisions. Granted that Angela didn’t trust that demon slut within an inch of her life, the bitch did make a point.

Angela could recall several instances where she had to make those hard decisions. It was like that scenario of say in war you learn that your enemy has a weakness in their defenses and you could attack in three days but they plan to attack in five and you had the choice of abandoning the city to attack or you could defend and prolong the war unnecessarily. She had been given that scenario before and her answer was surprising to most since her reputation preceded her.

It was easy to go with the simplest choice. War is long and ugly and the sooner it is ended, it is better for everyone. Logic dictates that you attack when you spot the weakness. Reinforcing the defenses would allow the enemy to cover their bases and prolong war. Her answer was simple and that was to subtly reinforce the city defenses while preparing to attack.

Of course she was given an either/or option and her answer didn’t please too many people. That was her though. It was easy for some to think of the world in black and white but the shades of grey were what blurred the lines. Hell she was one of those shades of grey since she was a Halfling and she had to admit when Dean and Sam argued about Doc Benton’s formula, Dean’s remarks hurt a little. She knew he didn’t mean her but it was easy for them to forget that was where she stood too and maybe that was one of the reasons why she was willing to become human in order to save Dean.

It was a hard choice but in the end, she decided that it was worth the risk. She had the sigil, the one thing needed and she had the right incantation to activate it. She just had to get close enough to apply it. If all else fails, she had her backup and that was following Dean to the pit. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to go back to that place even though it had been a few centuries. Yet she was confident that she knew enough to get her to that little corner that she remembered and drag Dean out. She would have Absolution which was a big difference since the last time she had only her brains and her abilities.

She made her decision and made the resolution to see it through. Dean knew about it so he knew what she was about and of course Bobby did. She made the decision as she stopped Deanna and jumped out to gas up. She didn’t really take notice of the Impala nor how Dean just waited smugly with Cerebus and sharing another dog biscuit.

There really was no line but it appeared that the place was a hangout for whoever happened to live nearby. She walked up to the counter and asked for fill up and handed over a fifty.

“Hey there sweet thing, you come up in that ride?”

Angela ignored it. She was used to catcalls even if they annoyed and made her feel shitty if her mood was really low. She waited while the cashier bagged up a few things she picked up. The next thing she knew she was being grabbed by her upper arm and the same voice saying, “Hey, I’m talking to ya bitch. Think yer too good to talk to someone from here?”

Angela made a slight face of disgust as she looked at the owner of the offending hand and replied, “Take your hand off me sir.”

“I’ll do what I like and you will show me a little courtesy you little slut.”

“Leave her alone.”

Angela was still looking at the piss poor excuse for a man but she recognized the newcomer as Sam. The last thing she wanted was to start a fight and for something she could handle but Sam felt he had to step in. “Sam, I got this.”

“Really? So the slut has a spine after all and doesn’t need a bodyguard.”

“Actually I’m the bodyguard,” Angela replied. She had spared a glance and saw Sam’s jaw tightening. He was really pissed. “You should be worried about me.” She gave a yank and shook her arm free.

The guy put a hand on her shoulder and before Angela could react, the guy was grabbed by Sam who was making every inch of his height and build known at the moment. It was probably the most reaction aside from breaking a wrist that she had seen come from the man. He said, “I told you to leave her alone.”

It was some relief that Sam didn’t try to kill the guy but shoved him towards the exit and followed. Angela followed Sam and was prepared to defend the poor sap since she knew what Sam was capable of. She did train him in addition to the skill set he already had.

It would have been amusing to watch the guy run but it was hardly funny. Things were already tense enough with their upcoming plans. The last thing Sam needed to be was so pissed off that he wasn’t thinking straight. Angela followed him and was relieved that he wasn’t following the guy but heading to a place where he could pace and walk off his steam. Her first reaction was to scold him but that didn’t seem like a good idea as she tossed the bag into Deanna.

Sam finally found a place under the shade of a tree and started pacing. She kept a respectable distance and folded her arms across her chest to watch and wait. She did learn a thing or two about Indian fighting.

“You really shouldn’t encourage them like that.”

Angela raised her brow at that. “It is hardly my fault for looking the way I do. Do you assume that I want _that_ kind of attention?”

“You get it without trying,” Sam replied as he still paced. It also kept him from looking at her full on. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“That whatever it is you call it,” Sam replied as he pointed at her face.

Angela knew it was the raised brow look that made her look indifferent at times but if one looked closely you could see concern, anger or just sheer orneriness. It was one that she threw up when she wasn’t sure what to contort her features into. She pointed at her face and replied, “This? I can’t help this look which I started acquiring ever since I started hanging with you and Dean.”

Sam finally stopped pacing having calmed down enough. He looked at Angela who was still standing there. Didn’t she have a clue that she was considered that attractive to warrant the attention of scumbags like that if she wasn’t careful? It vaguely occurred to him that she did but it was a question he asked himself every time an incident happened. Maybe he did go too far and she was hardly a delicate flower but he just didn’t like seeing nor hearing things like that about her. Dean he tolerated since he never meant it and it was always done to tease her and she dished it back. Sighing he replied, “Why do you tolerate it Angie? Why do you let assholes like that do that?”

Angela relaxed her features. She wasn’t exactly mad at Sam being chivalrous about her virtue but he had to understand a few things. “I don’t let them do anything Sam. You seem to forget that I’ve had centuries of this crap. I can deal and have dealt with asshats like that.”

“Sorry, it’s just…” Sam wasn’t sure of what to say. Dean had asked him in his own way to look after her and as far as he could tell she could take care of herself. She had gotten better in dealing with the emotion thing. Those were surface reasons though and Sam suspected that his brother was asking him to protect her from something else. “It seems like it is making you seem dirty. You know what I mean?”

“I understand,” Angela replied taking a few steps forward to close the distance between them. That he cared that much about her was touching and it made her love him all the more. “But Sam, the song and dance are the same no matter what century or what part of the country I am in. It will happen and I do what I can to avoid it but sometimes it is inevitable.”

“It’s just that you act sometimes like it doesn’t bother you unless the asshole touches you in a place that sparks a memory and then you go postal.”

Angela couldn’t deny that. They saw what she did to one of Fang Boy’s trainees when they started and a few other moves. She could understand what Sam was getting at and maybe she should explain a few things, “And I explained about that but there are times when it is right to not fight; basically I learned to pick my battles. It’s not bad advice you know.” She gave a slight smile.

Sam took a look and couldn’t help but smile with her. “I know but… you’re a good person Angie and to hear things like that…”

“I don’t mean to sound mean about it but it is best to get used to it,” Angela replied. Her hand went to her neck to play with her necklace and the amulet she had worn under her shirt came out. “Down the road there will be people who will say things about me and that is because that was who they saw then. A person can’t please everyone Sam. When the hard choices have to be made, the consequences follow.”

“You say that from experience.”

Angela played with her necklace and shifted a little. “I’m not gonna lie to you, you will hear things and some of them may be true. The grapevine has stories that are half-truths and complete lies. I have made hard choices and believe me nothing puts things into perspective more than those very fine lines that can make all the difference.”

“Like what you meant about what Ruby said?” Sam looked at Angela as she was studying him with that thoughtful expression.

“More or less,” Angela replied in honesty. “The thing about making hard choices, and something I learned the hard way, is that someone has to do it. And you’re not going to please everybody so I take the choice that seems the best fit.” She made a slight smile and a hum. “You know I don’t like to lose.”

“I know you don’t handle failure well.”

Angela nodded still smiling. “I know I don’t because I don’t like to lose. It sounds clichéd but at times failure is not an option for me.”

“And how far will you go?”

“Honest truth? I used to go all the way. Now, I weigh consequences more and in part because you asked me to consider that more.”

“Sometimes it seems like you don’t. That idea about making the mountain come to Mohammed with regards to Lilith… that seemed like something you would do if you didn’t care.” Sam was aware that it sounded harsh on his part and the feeble excuse was that the minutes were slowly ticking down to actually ganking Lilith and trying to save Dean. “It seems like…” He really didn’t want to start a fight; not with her.

“Perhaps it’s because I have a different view on life and death,” Angela replied to help him out. “I don’t mean because I died and came back and that. Things look different when you have to watch time go by. I saw the Industrial Revolution. I saw the effects of roughly eight wars and maybe more. I’m not saying that I see myself as immortal… just more aware that humans live the way they do because they have short lives.” She studied Sam’s features and could see that he was listening and thinking about it. She was right in that things had a different meaning for her and that was in part why she was trying so hard for Dean.

Sam thought about it and was thoroughly cooled down from the incident. From the looks of things, it seemed that Dean was ready to go and so was Bobby who actually looked funny standing next to Angela’s classic Camaro in his trucker hat. He probably would never see how she saw the world but it did put some things into perspective like why she did things the way she did. “I think I get it.”

“It’s a work in progress, Sam. Even I haven’t learned all the tricks yet,” Angela replied as she smiled. She paused a moment and then asked, “So we good?”

Sam nodded. He could never figure it out how she was able to bring him or Dean down when they were angry at something. He figured it was because she seemed to know what to say and how to say it or say nothing at all. As they started walking back he asked, “So what’s with the new addition?” He pointed at her neck.

Angela realized that the amulet she had found while blind as a bat had come out. She had kept it ever since and did some research on it. The information she found was interesting and gave her a few ideas. She replied, “Just a little something in case we run into trouble with Lilith.”


	6. Chapter 6

Haley looked around as she put the finishing touches of the sigil on the asphalt of the highway that was as abandoned as a haunted house. It seemed rather strange to be doing this but it felt right to at least get the ducks lined up in a row before attempting anything. At least she knew who she was calling. The only sticking point was if it would be answered.

“I don’t understand, Hale. Why are you taking the word of the vampire seriously?” Aaron was pacing around and making sure that nothing was going to go wrong.

“I’m not but I can’t discount it either. I care about her and I care about Dean. I want to make sure,” Haley replied as she set out her juju herbs. It was different from the typical Latin stuff but it worked in a pinch.

“But this guy. I know you two became acquainted in Texas but seriously?”

“He cares about her… more than his kind probably should,” Haley replied as she took a breath. She then began the chant in the African language of her people. She had discovered that the rites used by her father’s people had more potency especially in the urgent sense. She could use others but it was like that your origins were powerful type of thing.

After saying the incantation, she lit the match and threw it in the small earthenware dish that had the herbs. They caught fire and sparked as she stood up. She looked around hoping to see if her call would be answered. She looked at Aaron who clearly thought that it was a waste of time but he was being polite not to say anything since he respected juju.

“That was the most interesting call I ever got. Usually I get Latin.”

Haley turned to see the one being she hadn’t seen since the tournament when he gave her the clues. “I have a preference for juju and it usually works better.” She gave a slightly wry smile and added, “So is there a formal way of saying hello Gabriel?”

Gabriel stood there with his trademark smirk. It had been years since someone did the formal way of summoning him except to hear the juju form was like being introduce to the BBC version of Law and Order. After helping his Cat out, he went back to his self-imposed exile but occasionally stretching out an ear along the grapevine. Things seemed to be starting to get hot around the place and it certainly didn’t help when he found out that Cat actually died.

Of course when he pestered Isis, she revealed that his girl had a way out and he followed along just to see. He had to admit that he was vastly amused when she possessed Sam to get the phoenix fruit. It was disturbing to hear a masculine sounding version of her war cry and to see Sam imitate the moves she was known for but it made for a hell of a show. She came back and went on her merry way and he left her to her own devices.

Looking at Haley, the girl he hadn’t seen in months, he smirked and replied, “Just saying ‘hi’ is fine. So what do I owe the pleasure to the daughter of a famous African witch doctor?”

“Should we even bother?” Aaron was glaring warily at Gabriel. He had heard the flutter of wings and had to work to dampen down the fear that was in the pit of his stomach.

Gabriel looked at Aaron and grinned, “So I finally get to see one of the famous Nephilim.” At the look that was being given to him he brushed off, “Oh don’t look so surprised. I’ve met enough of you down here and don’t worry about me shooting my mouth off. Cat would never forgive me.”

Aaron frowned at the archangel. “Who is Cat?” He looked at Haley and said, “I thought you said that he knew Absolution.”

“Cat is Absolution you stupid kid,” Gabriel shot off. He was getting to be as bad as his girl was about how she was called. Of course she preferred to say that she wielded Absolution which was the truth in some respects. He just knew her as Cat. “So why am I here for this rather dull party?”

Haley knew the angel had a biting tongue and she rather liked it. She motioned for Aaron to stand down. She didn’t know but she got the hint that Gabriel would keep his word and not reveal Aaron to the other angels. She suspected that it was because of Angela and maybe there was some kindness that he allowed few to see. She replied, “It’s not for my amusement Gabriel. I called you because I wanted to see what you know.”

“Well I’m dying of suspense. What is it that you want to know?” Gabriel crossed his arms thinking that he had some better things to do than entertain a Nephilim and a Celtic witch.

“I don’t think I like your tone,” Aaron muttered.

“And I don’t like you nephew,” Gabriel teased, not meaning it. He had met a few of the Nephilim and had done what he could to keep them away from harm. “But I do like you Nephilim. You are very hardy people like Cat.”

Haley knew that Aaron wasn’t used to Gabriel’s blunt humor. She gave a slight shake of her head and turned to the business of what she was there for. She looked at Gabriel and said, “Are you aware of the rumors regarding Angela chasing the demon?”

“That sounds like Angie. She certainly would do that if it involved anything with the two chuckleheads she travels with,” Gabriel replied giving a knowing nod of his head. “Of course that’s her day job. You’re gonna have to give me more than that.”

Haley nodded though she guessed that Gabriel knew what she was talking about. Or it was possible that he didn’t know. She added, “Perhaps you’re aware of a demon called Lilith?”

Gabriel paused a moment. So that broad made it out of the pit? If she did then this was bad especially for Cat. “I’ve heard of her. What about her?”

“She put the death warrant on your Cat,” Aaron spat still miffed. He could feel his power rumble within. It was rather difficult with intense emotions. He would be stupid to take on an archangel with his abilities.

Gabriel paused. That sounded typical of the broad and he did hear about that. It was one of the more popular discussions when it was brand new. The first time he heard it, he did hightail it to Cat’s location to check on her. She was okay but he kept his feelers out and apparently it was a ruse to get Sam. Lilith really didn’t want his Cat dead. At least not now so that was sort of good but not.

Gabriel knew that Cat was valuable to several parties. She was special not because of her blade which he knew the origins of. She was special because of a few things that even the bad guys didn’t know of but it wouldn’t be hard to figure out if they got a good look. Knowing Cat though, she would go after Lilith with a death warrant only because the broad wanted Sam’s head. That was her.

Trying to maintain his usual devil may care (no pun intended) attitude, he replied, “That’s nothing new kiddo. Most things out there want her dead or on their side.”

Haley wasn’t fooled. She knew the archangel cared about Angela and probably more than the charge-guardian relationship allowed. He was maintaining a strong stance not to appear weak and she suspected that he had been ribbed by the other angels for it. She replied, “Yeah well you must know that Angela is chasing after her because of Sam and because of Dean’s deal.”

“So the numbskull did do a deal. Big surprise there.”

“Your concern makes me feel warm inside,” Aaron mocked as he clenched his hands in fists and released them.

“One of my many charms,” Gabriel replied raising his arms as if he didn’t care. “So you’re referring to the rumor that she’s chasing Lilith to duke it out with her and kill her to set Dean free. Yeah I know that and that’s Cat. What of it?”

“Is the risk of death high?”

“Of course it is. Going up against a broad like Lilith has its risks.”

“And you’re not gonna do anything about it?” Aaron looked at the angel incredulously. “Hale, you said this guy is Absolution’s guardian. What the hell?”

“Kid, I don’t interfere with her life. I did that and this is the result. I’m an ass and she knows it and it’s better…”

“Bullshit Gabriel,” Haley replied. “You forget I’m skilled in juju and I learned rudiments of voodoo. The loa are very talkative and they said that there was an angelic presence in a place void of supernatural activity.”

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at Haley. He was right in that she was good with the mojo juice. _Cat you just make friends wherever you go and they are willing to pull you back if you go too far_ , he mused as he studied the witch and the Halfling. “And they say demons are gossips.”

Haley knew that she may have struck a nerve. She gathered that there were some unresolved issues that Gabriel seemed to harbor even though Angela didn’t appear that way. She had to keep the ledge or he’d fly the coop. “The grapevine extends to all but like what some say, half of it is pure crap and the rest are half-truths.”

Gabriel nodded in agreement. That was why he had his stoolies and he taught Cat well. Apparently she picked a good one and trained the little worm since he so far hadn’t betrayed her. He thought it was because the demon was scared of her and he was unknowingly right. “That’s true. Cat herself started a few rumors to flush out some pretty big nasties.”

“And it looks like they’re coming back to bite her in the ass,” Haley replied. So that part was true. Gabriel had no reason to lie unless he thought she was a clear threat to Angela. “You must know that Angela is going after Lilith to save Dean and not just to kill the hell bitch. I heard that for people like her that there are exceptions to certain rules?”

Gabriel looked up. He glanced at Aaron and then at Haley. He started walking to close the distance between him and her. When Aaron reacted, he held up his hand to hold the kid in place, “Easy there guard dog. If I had wanted to hurt the little African queen here, I would have used other means that are much more entertaining.”

Aaron huffed and looked at Haley. This angel got under his skin but he was right. He hadn’t even tried to hurt Haley. The tournament didn’t count since that was neutral territory. Here it was different and so far nothing. That didn’t mean that he was going to get all friendly.

Gabriel liked the fact that the kid was dedicated. He lived up to his name obviously. He turned his attention to Haley and asked, “How do you know this?”

“I learn things.”

“Who told you?” Gabriel looked intensely at Haley.

Haley was tempted to lie but she knew that it would be stupid to. Gabriel was not stupid and if he had an inkling that something was going to harm the well-being of his Cat, he would be on their ass to smite them. Maybe he knew the vampire too. She replied, “A vampire told me. He said his name is Faisal.”

“So grandpa vampire of the Nassar clan decided to make an appearance?”

Haley frowned and shrugged her shoulders. What was the angel talking about? “What do you mean?”

Gabriel was looking at nothing in particular as he sought to put puzzle pieces together. _So you want to get your hands on Cat? We’ll see about that._ He looked at Haley and replied, “What else did he say?”

Haley realized that she was not going to get an answer to that question anytime soon. Apparently Gabriel knew Faisal and it looked like he didn’t like the guy or knew him well enough that he figured that something was up. “He said that if she tried to get the contract for herself, she would doom Dean and Sam. What is going on?”

Gabriel took a step back. He needed to have a word with the vampire. He looked at Haley and replied, “I gotta have a word with a certain vampire. Catch ya later witch.” He was gone in an instant.

“Well that certainly was helpful,” Aaron muttered in sarcasm.

Haley frowned in thought. It certainly cleared up a few things. Gabriel never clarified what she wanted to know and that was if getting the contract would kill her and doom Sam and Dean. Still her gut was telling her that her vision wasn’t wrong and that Gabriel’s reaction confirmed it to some degree. “Actually that was,” she replied as she pulled out her cell phone. She scrolled down to the number that she had saved.

She would do something because it was Dean. She knew that he would do what it took to keep his brother and Angela safe and if he knew the score… She dialed the number and prayed that he would answer. She heard the telltale click of the phone being picked up and she held the sigh in check. “Dean…”

****

Faisal studied the gas station and quick mart. It was rather rustic and out of the way. It led to too much vulnerability. At least that was his opinion. He had no idea why she would come to a place like this. It was a place that bred those types that liked to cause trouble because they had nothing better to do.

It wasn’t easy following a trail when you were following car exhaust. He just happened to get lucky in that one of his sources mentioned where queen bitch was located. He only hoped that the girl witch would do the right thing and warn Absolution from doing anything foolish. He was also lucky in that he could detect her scent at this place and she was with someone.

The accompanying scent was masculine and thought he detected cheap aftershave and the smell of dust and must like that house he started from hours after they departed. He smelled the both scents mingled together and they walked towards a small area under some trees. Faisal was under the impression that they knew each other and well.

“Interfering again Faisal?”

Faisal stopped his musings to greet his visitor, “Hello Gabriel. Long time, no see.” He gave a slight smile of pretense politeness.

“Yeah and I’m shedding tears,” Gabriel deadpanned. He crossed his arms and glared at the vampire. “What are you doing telling humans about the special clauses?”

“Always to the point huh Gabe? Then again you always were when it came to Absolution,” Faisal replied with a smirk similar to Gabriel’s. It turned into a knowing smile to taunt the angel.

“Because you always were a busybody, trying to ruin her life. Don’t think I don’t remember your helpful hints when the big ‘competition’ to determine the true Malachi came to light.”

“I merely said that the chosen one wasn’t always going to be strong physically and that their strength was of a different kind,” Faisal replied with a shrug. “I read the same prophecies the same as you did Gabe. You and I just happened to be the ones that saw her first so to speak. I merely want to help make sure that she fulfills her destiny.”

Gabriel glared at the vampire. They had never really gotten along the moment they chanced upon the same clue regarding his Cat. He managed to give the vampire the slip and find her first and tried to protect her. Of course Faisal showed up again and that led to the current situation his relationship with her was now.

He had always encouraged her to do what she thought was right. As an angel of the Lord, he was privy to some of the more ‘top secret’ writings of God and even he knew what she was to end up doing and then some. As the Messenger, he handed some choice writings to the various seers, well the lower ones. The Seer got his from the Source. When he read about her, he felt something that he hadn’t felt before.

He was smitten with her when he first met her. Of course it was in that family way. He saw her as someone to protect from the things that would come after her. He was the one that placed his sigil as extra protection on the tattoo she had been born with. She was the one that asked him if everyone had a purpose and he remembered the answer that he gave her even though he didn’t like the whole thing that would lead to the end.

Looking at the vampire he replied, “There is no fate but what she chooses to make for herself.”

“Interesting line. I’m sure they loved that when they created the Terminator movies,” Faisal mocked.

“Actually they loved it grandpa,” Gabriel retorted. “Stay out of it.”

“And I’m sure that you’d rather see your precious Cat die at Lilith’s hands and that is after the bitch has her way with the Winchesters.” Faisal studied the glare that was being thrown his way. They had never gotten along and it seemed that Gabriel still hadn’t forgiven him for tell the girl the truth about what she was. He mocked the angel, “Don’t look so surprised Gabe. If I know that the Winchesters have and always will be her weakness, then that means the other side knows it too and I am sure you probably relayed that little message to those boneheads.”

How could Gabriel forget that? The truth be told was that he rather liked Sam and could see why Cat liked him… no she was in love with him. He wasn’t that much of an ignoramus when it came to watching over her. The thing was he had to make Sam understand that his and Dean’s penchant for sacrificing their lives and souls for one another brought nothing but pain. He also wanted to make sure that he understood how much that would end up paining Cat.

Gabriel kept the glare up. “Can she help it if she cares?”

“Hah. You can do better than that Gabe.”

“If you actually read everything Grandpa, you may actually be able to be a step up.”

“You wouldn’t even be here if the African princess hadn’t blabbed and done what I asked her to do,” Faisal spat. “Seems to me that your Cat inspires loyalty even on mere acquaintance; an admirable and desirable trait.”

“And she avoided that mess.”

“Yes and her decision of the appropriate punish I found noble but rather weak in the real world.” Faisal turned to sniff the air. The scent was fading which was no surprise since they had been there hours ago. They were on the way to meet queen bitch. “She doesn’t seem to get that there are times were you have to let destiny take place and that you have to be ruthless if you want to keep them off your back.”

“Yeah destiny is a real grand prize,” Gabriel retorted. He hadn’t missed the fact that Faisal had been sniffing around. No doubt he picked up Cat’s scent and he was willing to guess that Sam had been with her. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that they would have the more heart to heart talks. If it had been Cat and Dean, the setting would be different. He looked the vampire in the eye and added, “She’s not a killer Grandpa.”

Faisal had enough of the name calling from the angel. In a fit of anger he rushed the angel and pinned him to the tree with his fists. He revealed a nice set of teeth that looked like the second set of the vampires that hunters went after but in fact it was one set of teeth that just became elongated. His eyes looked icy blue. “I’ve had enough of your names angel.”

Gabriel responded by knocking the vampire’s hands off and with both palms he pushed Faisal back with enough force to send him flying. His eyes were narrowed in anger as he replied, “And I’ve had enough of your interference with Cat. You may be the vamp who sees all but she’s not some little pawn in the big picture.”

Faisal sat up to dust himself off. He looked annoyed at Gabriel, “This is my favorite coat.” He got to his feet and stood up. He could get into a royal rumble with the archangel but he knew Gabriel wouldn’t risk hurting any humans that could be nearby.

“I mean it Faisal. Leave her alone.”

Faisal finished dusting himself off. He narrowed his eyes at Gabriel and replied, “So you really don’t care that she’ll bring pain to herself if she manages to shift possession of the contract on Dean Winchester’s life?”

“What are you talking about? It’s within her right and you know it if she gets it. Broker’s rights,” Gabriel replied. Even he knew those rules because he taught them to her like he taught her a few other things.

Faisal gave a scoff of a laugh and replied, “Please. Even you know that when certain conditions are set it can be interpreted in a different way.”

“And if it shifts owners, the new owner can make new stipulations.” Gabriel figured out that was what Cat intended to do. It was so like her and dumbass Dean held a place in her heart. As much as he would like to have fun with Dean, he was rather pleased that she opened her heart again. She had been burned almost every time she dared to become close to someone and it hurt that she preferred to stay closed off.

“And it could be considered welching,” Faisal spat back. He crossed his arms at the same time Gabriel did. “Did you even know that the stipulation that has your Cat fighting so hard is that Dean had a whole year and if he welched or weaseled out of it Sam dies?”

Gabriel paused but he had been at this game long enough. He was good at keeping the bland, glaring look. He hadn’t known because he kept his distance. It went to show what a lousy guardian he was if he didn’t know that. “Special circumstances and pity,” he replied guessing at the reasoning. He was familiar with the one soul for ten years deal which was assumed to be standard procedure.

Faisal smiled, impressed and replied, “I am impressed you even managed to learn that Gabe. Getting a little slack there in your guardian duties. Are you sure that you really care about your Cat?”

“I do what I can,” Gabriel covered. “And what makes you so sure that Cat will suffer for this?”

“This is Lilith. I wouldn’t put it past her to make a few alterations. Her greatest pleasure would be to make your Cat suffer.” Faisal studied the angel. If he knew Gabriel, he would be doing something to warn Absolution. Whether or not the girl believed the angel was up for debate. To him she was a soft thing that needed to be toughened up for the fight ahead. “Thinking about warning her? Go ahead but you know your Cat and what she would do.”

Gabriel did know. If she couldn’t stop it topside, she would go back. He swore that she would never have to go back. He made a promise to her and to himself. He looked at the vampire and said, “You know what she’s going to do don’t you?”

“Not my fault that I was given seer abilities,” Faisal replied with a shrug. “Now I have a solution but of course it’s not going to be something you like.”

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. He knew Faisal well. If he perceived someone of importance to be weak in something, he would do what he could to make it stronger. He knew that he thought Cat was weak for caring about everything and everyone. She was not ruthless even when she felt lost and those years occurred. He glared at Faisal.


	7. Chapter 7

Angela lounged in the backseat of the Impala. After gassing up, Bobby stole her keys and pushed her towards the Impala stating that Dean had been complaining about Cerebus’ dog smell. She didn’t buy it but a look at Dean told her that he missed her company even though he seemed to have a good time with Cerebus. Her boys were weenies when it came to her leaving them alone.

Sitting in the back seat was pretty much her place unless injury or needed sleep was up next. The funny thing was that was pretty much how she relegated her own life. She stayed in the backseat, in the shadows; apart from everyone else. Some people would say that she was in serious need of a very thorough psychoanalysis on that part. Well they could stuff it on that because in the end she was never really made to be in the backseat with the boys.

“Sorry for tearing you away from your baby, Angie,” Dean said after taking a look at her in the rearview mirror. “It just didn’t seem right without you there.”

“Admit it Dean, you really wanted an excuse to have Cerebus ride with Bobby,” Angela replied with a slight smile. “Like me and Sam you find it funny that an old man in a trucker hat driving a classic Camaro with modifications for racing is pretty funny.”

Dean chuckled softly as he looked at Sam who was deep in thought but listening to the conversation. “We always think on the same page don’t we Angie?”

“More than should be possible. I find it positively weird and terrifying,” Angela countered as she shifted in her seat to lean back and look at her chakram. Absolution was resting on the floor at an angle to be grabbed at a moment’s notice. “It’s like we’re related or something.”

Sam snickered at that statement. They were not related and yet they were family. Bobby was right in that family didn’t end with blood. She had earned it long ago and it just took his and Dean’s sweet time to realize that. “Maybe the long lost sister we never knew,” he teased trying to be cheerful. It still bothered him that he and Dean were still keeping a secret the fact that Angela did have a family but he understood why.

“Yeah a five hundred year old broad,” Angela replied with a smirk on her face. She didn’t mind poking fun at her age since occasionally it was funny to talk about. Mostly it was because Dean and Bobby tried to be the authority with her when it was clear that she was older.

Dean laughed, “Angie you play that card way too often.”

“Just as much as you try the big brother card.”

Sam smiled at that. It was always entertaining to watch Bobby or Dean try to boss her around. He noticed though that it was mostly with things like injuries and things that involved her sarcasm. Other things she let Dean have his way and when she was in recovery that didn’t count. Still he noticed though that there were some things she went to his brother with like he did and judging by the conversation and request Dean made of him, he could put two and two together.

Sam thought about what he and Angela talked about. Granted it was a talk about what was going on with their plans but there were some things that stuck out to him. He probably was making a mountain out of a molehill but knowing that she was willing to go as far as it took for Dean just like he was, he couldn’t help it. He knew that he and Dean were both guilty of saying they could do it but not her.

_The thing about making hard choices, and something I learned the hard way, is that someone has to do it. And you’re not going to please everybody so I take the choice that seems the best fit._

For some reason, that thought came up in his mind and he couldn’t help but mull over it. It was like she was trying to tell him something important but couldn’t or wouldn’t and for whatever reason she cooked up. He looked over at his brother Dean who was chewing on another dog biscuit much to Angela’s amusement. Briefly he wondered what it would be like without Dean there and it was just him and Angela.

“Hey Angie, looks like Bobby is having too much fun with your baby,” Dean was saying.

“Deanna likes Bobby. She and Lonelle Chevelle like to share.”

Sam gave a slight smile. It was hard to imagine that if this didn’t go through, Dean would be gone. There were a lot of things that he hadn’t said to Dean and he felt that he owed it to him in the very least. “Hey Dean? If this doesn’t go the way we want, I want you to know…”

“No, no, no, no. You’re not gonna bust out the misty good-bye speech.” Dean glanced at Sam who looked like he was ready to pout and continued, “I mean if this is my last night on Earth I don’t want it to be socially awkward. Hell if I wanted a chick flick moment I would have asked the Fiddler on the Roof here to play for me.”

“And here I thought you didn’t like musicals,” Angela countered, not at all put out by the dig at her skill with a violin. She then leaned forward and whispered in Dean’s ear, “Then again chicks do dig that romantic crap.”

Dean twitched his lips slightly at that. That was sage advice coming from someone who hadn’t been in a relationship before and was a complete baby with the feelings associated with them. Then again she always seemed to know how chicks felt and actually once or twice was able to snag him a tough one to have fun with. He was gonna miss her.

To cover up the awkwardness, he went with the only thing that seemed to put everyone on the same page even if his choice annoyed Sam. “You know what I do want?” He flipped on the radio of the Impala and whether it was coincidence or not, Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” was playing.

Sam made a slight face as he asked, “Bon Jovi?”

“Bon Jovi rocks on occasion,” Angela replied looking at Sam as if he were nuts.

“Says the eclectic,” Dean added smirking. “Angie you would find your Bach rocking for the occasion.”

“Don’t diss a great one.”

“The Great One is Wayne Gretzsky.”

“Only if you’re into testosterone on ice,” Angela muttered grinning.

Dean was still grinning when he busted out singing, “When I walk these streets…” He knew he was probably the most tone deaf man walking but this was how it was going to be. It was his way and he didn’t care. He continued singing a little off of the actual song but still feeling the mood. He tapped Sam and said, “Come on.”

Sam knew that Dean wanted him to sing along. He glanced at Angela who was just listening with her eyes closed and her head bobbing to the music. He remembered what she said about getting him to sing for her. He conveniently forgot the part that she said it would be when Dean wasn’t around. He made a slight face at the both of them. He didn’t think she did that on purpose since she wouldn’t know what a particular station was going to play. That was stupid but it was up there with the kind of pranks she would play.

Dean was singing and waiting for Sam to come in. Sam entered in with the backup and realized that Angela was singing with him. Her voice took on a rich timbre that blended with the tune as she sang, “Oh yeah,” with him.

Dean was belting the lyrics out without regard for tune like a regular rock star. He did hear Angela though as she matched her tone to Sam’s timbre. She was good with the music thing. She kept the tune and added her own funk to it. He glanced at Sam and noticed him smiling as they sang together softly.

Angela placed her arms on the seat back as she leaned forward so she was between the boys. She was watched as Dean belted out the lyrics to Bon Jovi and remembered the times when he would beat the rhythm out on the steering wheel, deliberately pick something that would irritate Sam and his groaning in agony when it was her turn to drive. Those were happy times for them. Sure they were long hours in the car going from place to place but it was… home.

Sure she had been living off the grid for centuries and she loved the idea of waking up in a new town out in the middle of nowhere and just going where the day took you. That was a freedom of sorts even if they seemed to blend together for her. Glancing at Dean, she knew that the final hours were on his mind but the last moments didn’t need to be gloom and doom. She got that. Also going out with your boots on was important. Wear out, don’t rust out. She had a whole bunch of them but they virtually said the same thing: you die as you lived.

“Cause I’m a cowboy,” Sam and Dean were singing in unison. Angela added a slight balance. It didn’t matter if they were on key, off key or even upside down. As long it was a good time… that was what was important.

“Cause I’m wanted,” Dean belted out.

“Wanted,” Sam and Angela belted out in the echo.

“Dead or alive,” all three sang together.

Being trained in musical education, it was habit for Angela to analyze everything and she did it subconsciously. With songs like the one you were listening to, sometimes you couldn’t help but wonder if it was meant for you to hear it at that moment. She mused about the main lyric. All three of them were wanted dead or alive in the grand scheme of things. That was a sad fact.

Glancing at Dean, Angela noticed that Dean had stopped singing and was staring at the road ahead. He still was smiling a little but she could tell that he was thinking about the good times that he was not going to have if they didn’t stop Lilith and the hellhounds. She was still humming while Sam was singing and she had to admit that he had a nice voice in that regard.

She smiled slightly as she slowly wrapped her arm around Dean’s shoulders so as not to disturb his driving. That was kind of silly since Dean seemed to have the ability to do just about anything while driving and still maintain control but she knew that he was not the kind of man to show that much affection at times unless they threatened to boil over.

She gave a squeeze with her arm to indicate that it was a hug of some sorts. She was still humming as she gave Dean a kiss to his right cheek before looking ahead. She knew he understood what she meant by that since he gave a slight bump to her shoulder. She smiled and moved away while giving a slight hair ruffle. She then continued singing along with Sam as they finished Bon Jovi, each were belting out the lyrics like a pair of drunken idiots.

Dean glanced over and watched as Sam and Angela sang with that goofy happy look that meant that at least Sam was doing good. Angela was probably thinking about things like he was. That was her though but at least he could see her happy and with a happy Sam. That sounded stupid in his head but it was the truth.

He told Sam to watch out for her. Granted that he made it sound like it was a big brother duty thing and in most respects it was, he was hoping that it would give Sam the time to see her like she saw him. _Crap I’m sounding like a freaking poet. Now I know I’m dying._

It was disturbing but he hoped that Sam would see his attraction to her and attempt at being happy. She was good for him and Sam was always the patient one except for maybe those few times when the boat got seriously rocked. In Dean’s mind though that only showed that Sam had feelings that extended beyond the brother-sister thing.

He kept his thoughts to himself as he continued to drive through the night. This was his last night on earth and he wanted to remember one last good time with his baby brother and the girl that he loved to pieces. That was what it was about. He could understand a bit better how Angela viewed life and death. This past year had him appreciate the time he had and he seriously could see his own mortality as well as Sam’s especially after getting his ass kicked by Lupei.

As they were driving through the highway, they enjoyed each other’s company with the bad jokes and teasing that was typical of a free night. It was Angela who noticed the cop car first. She hoped that it was nothing and that they could continue on their merry way.

It wasn’t going to be that way and the cop followed them and turned on the lights. Sam noticed Dean slowing down and asked, “We getting pulled over?”

“I told you to fix that busted taillight,” Angela said looking at Dean as she shrunk back into the shadows of the car and quietly rolled the window down. Something was pricking at her spine about this.

“It’s not like we’re in a hurry or nothing,” Dean replied as he pulled over. He rolled his window down and looked at the officer as he approached the window, “Problem officer?”

“License and registration, please.” The officer took the items and looked at them while saying, “You know you got a taillight out right?”

Dean decided to play it off with his usual politeness, “Uh yes sir.” It was then something caught his eye and he looked at the officer. “I’ve been meaning to fix that. As a matter of fact…”

It was lightning quick as Dean opened his door violently into the officer and knocked him over. At the same time Angela made herself known by squeezing her body out the window in a launch at the officer. Dean was too much into the fray to pay attention and he wouldn’t have been perturbed anyway since this was the girl that leap and rode on the roof of his baby and got in the passenger seat while it was moving after sprinting after it and that was when she was injured.

Angela grabbed the officer and held her hand over his mouth and muttered something. Dean lunged forward with Ruby’s knife and stabbed the guy in the neck. The sparks and sizzling revealed that it was a demon. Angela held onto the guy until she was sure that it was dead and dropped him. It was then that she took a breath and looked at Dean and said, “Nice shot.”

“Same to you, Gumby girl.”

Angela gave a slight look and muttered, “Please.”

“What the hell happened?” Bobby’s voice pierced the night as the sound of the Camaro came to a halt. It was a wonder he hadn’t tried jumping out of the car while it was still moving as he jogged up to where his three idjits were looking at a corpse.

“Dean just killed a demon,” Sam sputtered still in shock that he just witnessed his brother kill a demon and that Angela just flew out of the window without any trouble. He looked at his brother who was staring down at the demon with Angela, “How did you know?”

Dean was still freaked out by what he saw. Now he seriously could appreciate the fact that Angela was determined that it was a good thing that people not be able to see the true face of a hell hound. He replied, “I just knew. I saw his real face under that one.”

“I figured,” Angela replied. “Never a pretty sight.”

“What are you talking about? I know you can smell a demon a mile away,” Bobby countered.

“Don’t ask,” Angela replied as she hoisted the body up and wrinkled her nose in the process. She went over to put it on the passenger side of the cop car and drove it to the side to hide it. She made a slight face as she did since the stench of dead demon was just as nasty as a live one.

Her actions sparked the others into movement and they began to help her hide the cop car. She could put in a call to Austin and he could relay it to them. He was more circumspect than what others gave him credit for. She said nothing as she tore tree branches off like they were nothing and began arranging them over the car. She barely acknowledged Cerebus who gave a slight moan but she made up for it by giving him a rub on the head.

“Ya know it’s not all that crazy that you could see a demon, Dean,” Bobby was saying.

“Whaddaya mean?”

“Well you’ve got just over five hours to go? You’re piercing the veil Dean. Glimpsing the B-side,” Bobby explained.

Dean looked ready to punch someone. He still wasn’t over the fact that he could see the true face of a demon. He looked over at Angela who was finishing ripping off one more branch with her He-Man strength. He looked back at Bobby and replied, “A little less new-agey, please.”

“You’re almost hell’s bitch,” Bobby and Angela said at the same time. Bobby finished, “So ya can see hell’s other bitches.”

Dean took a moment to let that sink in as he sarcastically thanked Bobby. If that cop was one ugly bitch, he could only imagine what that Tiamat bitch looked like. It was like Angela knew what he was thinking and she murmured, “Oh you wouldn’t want to see her in this state. That picture you saw of her doesn’t even begin to justify it.”

Dean looked at her. “I don’t even think I want to ask how you know that. Somehow I’m getting the impression that you can see more than just the hell side of Cerebus. I see it and man a three headed hell mutt? I’m beginning to prefer Hollywood’s version.”

“So Sam didn’t say anything did he?” Angela studied Dean’s expression and got her answer. She then said, “I can see things most people don’t see and that’s a quirk from my healing abilities and what happened in Monument and Morton House… you know.”

“So you can see that fugly’s mug?”

“Only because you can. Hellhounds are an exception.” Angela turned to pick up a stick that fell.

“You that might actually come in pretty handy actually, right along with Angie’s sense of smell and Cerebus,” Sam was saying. He hadn’t heard a word of the conversation between Dean and Angela and if he did, he would have gotten a slight tongue lashing from Dean.

“Well I’m glad my doomed soul is good for something,” Dean dead panned. “We’ve got a good arsenal with three demon sniffing team members.”

“Damn right it is,” Bobby replied. He studied how Angela was shuffling her feet and toeing the ground as she hovered near Dean. He focused though on what the implications were now that Dean could see the B-side. “Lilith’s probably got demons stashed all over town. We can’t let them sound the alarm. She knows we’re here then we’re dead before we’ve started.”

“Thanks for the ray of sunshine Bobby,” Angela replied before turning away and tapping her ear. She had heard her phone vibrating and put the hands free set in her ear.

“She’s right. This is a terrific plan. I’m glad to be a part of it,” Dean added in agitation. They already had the battle going against them and they hadn’t even started. Oh this was peachy. “Can we go, please?”

Sam saw that Dean was still agitated about the whole thing and said nothing on the walk back to the cars. He noticed that Cerebus was staying close to Dean. Apparently the order still stood that wherever Dean was if he wasn’t with Angela, the mutt would be there. He had to give a slight smile when Dean reached down and patted the mutt’s head. He knew Dean was scared about this whole plan. Hell he was scared too and couldn’t imagine how Angela felt. He noticed she had been quiet throughout the whole hiding the body thing.

He still couldn’t believe that she just jumped out of the car like that. He could hardly believe she was able to squeeze her frame out of the open window in a launch flying type manner and tackle the demon. Dean didn’t bat an eye and Sam wondered if it was one of those things that his brother and Angela shared. The thought that event occurred while he had been a corpse in Cold Oak crossed his mind.

The Gumby girl comment was out of place since that had been Dean’s reference to Lisa and their thing. Sam figured that it was just the stress of the moment or he was just teasing Angela to annoy her. Either way the whole event was baffling as he glanced at Angela who was obviously talking to someone on the phone and finishing a conversation since she tapped near her ear. He was caught off guard by Dean’s phone ringing.

Dean didn’t expect the call coming in and paused. Checking the caller ID, he debated on whether or not to answer it. He really hadn’t had a good last conversation with Haley. He was at the end of his rope and he felt screwed after the whole thing about Bela. She did call a couple of times after that but she left voicemail messages and each one was asking him to call her back after saying she wanted to see if he was okay.

They had some time left and they weren’t that far from town. Cerebus nudged his leg and gave a soft whine. Dean made the mistake of looking down and got the look that Sam would give him. That was just plain creepy. Sighing he answered, “Hello?”

_Hi Dean._

“Hale, it’s… it’s nice to hear your voice,” Dean replied as he stalked away from the group. “Ah… It’s really good actually. Um I’m really sorry I haven’t returned your calls…” He knew he was rambling but he felt the need to explain himself to Haley. He never really could pinpoint how he felt about her. They had good times, good sex but it was nothing like his sexcapades… It was like they understood one another.

_It’s okay Dean. I know you’ve been having a hard time about the whole deal thing. I knew that you needed time._

“You always understood me Hale,” Dean replied as he gave a slight smile. “Still I shouldn’t have said the things I said.”

_Dean, please don’t grovel your apologies to me. I care about you enough to put up with your shit and offer help if I find it._

“I love it when you talk dirty,” Dean teased her half-heartedly. “So Hale, why the late call? Where you able to find something?” He knew that she was the right down to business type and she hated being spun out.

_About what a friend of ours intends to do about your deal; the one chasing the demon._

Dean understood what that meant. “I know that she wants to catch the demon and take the football.” He had no idea why he was speaking in code with Haley but it just seemed right and he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea for anyone else but it wasn’t like the others didn’t know the possible conversation.

_Nice metaphor but Dean, this is important. You mustn’t let her get the deal. It can be considered welching and I know how you feel about that._

Dean listened but didn’t betray his feelings. He sensed there was more to that. “Anything else?”

_Well that maybe our friend’s plan has been anticipated. Lilith may be expecting it._


	8. Chapter 8

Angela stood in her place in the shadows surveying the area around the house that Bobby’s locator pinpointed as the house Lilith was in. Bobby was in the house they squatted in taking a look around too along with the boys. Cerebus was doing guard duty on Dean and there was no changing that fact. She stood still and didn’t bat an eye as she took in the demons Lilith surrounded herself with while she was having fun.

She probably could have gotten closer but she made a vague promise not to take unnecessary risks. Besides this was Lilith they were talking about. The bitch probably had other means of detecting who was in the place. There was a whole tin of possibilities; much like what her unexpected caller said.

_Angela felt the buzz of her cell phone. Not wanting to be too obvious, she pulled out her hands free set and turned it on. “This is Angela.”_

_The voice on the other end surprised her. “Cat?”_

_Angela turned away and began talking in a low voice, “Gabe, how did you get this number?”_

_“I have my ways Cat. Listen I don’t have much time so just listen okay?”_

_Angela gave a soft smile. For years she had hoped that Gabriel would reach out to her. The one time he did when she was near dying she sort of didn’t count since that was in a state of near dead. She was looking more into the physical realm. She replied, “You know I would listen to you.”_

_There was a slight sound at the other end. Then it was followed with, “Cat, I know that you intend to save Dean by going for the contract. I’m asking you not to go through it.”_

_Angela listened to what Gabriel was saying. What she couldn’t figure out was how he figured out about that. Crowley wouldn’t blab about that since it was in his best interest since he expressed an interest in Lilith being ganked even though he started begging her not to go through with it even though he taught everything she needed to know. She still had the damned manual. She asked the simplest question to ask, “Why?”_

_“Cat, there is the small possibility that you doing this could be considered welching. I know you don’t like putting people in unnecessary danger so just consider the possibility that Lilith rigged the thing to set you up.” There was a pause and the tone of voice changed. “I am guessing that Lilith may have set you up. I’m not going to go into the reasons that made things the way they are but… there is a possibility that she would want you broken before she has her way with you.”_

_Angela was silent for a moment. She ran through a bunch of thoughts. She hadn’t considered that possibility before. Even if Dean agreed to her bringing Lilith to them, her initial plan could be considered a failure. There was also the chance that it was a ruse. She replied, “Cite your source.”_

_“The grapevine.”_

_Angela made a slight sound with her throat. That could mean that it was true or it was a fake or a half-truth. She knew that since she did start a few of those stories. “You know that is like citing Wikipedia.”_

_“Wiki-what?”_

_“Never mind. Gabe, how accurate is this or is this just concern?”_

_The sigh on the other end told her much. Then came the reply, “I know the person who told me but given our history, I know that he has a tendency to manipulate the situation to his liking. So maybe there is some truth to the whole thing. I’m not going to tell you what to do but I ask that you don’t try it. I don’t want to see you hurt again.”_

Angela knew that Gabriel never said anything like that unless the situation could be potentially that bad. He may or may not be sure on his sources but when he expressed concern, she knew to listen to it. Lilith may have set the whole thing up to lure them in or she may really be on shore leave and having fun.

From her position, Angela could see into the house. She could tell that the little girl was Lilith. It was a little hint that a little birdie in a cage told her. It was one of a thousand little hints given before today that seemed to be convenient from the delivery standpoint.

_Angela was getting another bucket of ice from the bin outside. They were about a day away from the safe house they agreed to meet Bobby at and go over the plan. They had a minor run in with a couple of guys that decided that Sam and Dean were just plain pain in the ass. So she was dealing with a slightly bruised cheek, a fat lip and bruised torsos along with a few open cuts and she was sporting a couple of sore hands which was why she was outside with two ice buckets; one from her room and one from the boys._

_The lights flickered and she could hear the electricity buzz as the bulbs flickered. Angela put the buckets on top of the bin and sighed. She wasn’t in the mood. She gave a wry expression as she turned and said, “You know there are other ways of getting my attention like a phone call. What do you want Ruby?”_

_Ruby stood there with her arms crossed with the usual sour expression on her face, “And if I called you, there was the chance that your boy toys would overhear and this I would rather tell you since you know more or less what to expect.”_

_“Nice to see you have confidence in me even though you think I’m being a dumbass,” Angela replied._

_Ruby scoffed at that, “Yeah you are because you are going in but not with the whole arsenal. Going in halfcocked like the two numbskulls you travel with. You would think you would have learned after the last time.”_

_“Well I learned that I need to focus in order to not to kill myself while tapping in.”_

_“This isn’t funny. You’re about to go up against the baddest bitch that you’ve ever faced. Tiamat was nothing.” Ruby took a few steps forward to close the distance between them. Her eyes were blazing with annoyance and anger. “Lilith will use those moral qualities you like to live by.”_

_“I figure that since you do the same. That is pretty much in your job description.” Angela crossed her arms as she stared at the demon. “So far you’ve given me the general details along with scolding about what I’m planning to do.”_

_“Look I gave you that hint about getting the deal for yourself because I thought you would have the balls to tap into that power you keep buried. You made it show when you went after Azazel.”_

_“Emotions are pretty strong. Can’t guarantee that it will happen again.”_

_Ruby narrowed her eyes as she studied Angela. It then dawned on her, “You don’t know how, do you?” No answer was needed as Ruby turned into her sour bitchiest. “That’s just great. So you really are going in halfcocked.”_

_“I intend to go in smart. Just because I don’t know one thing doesn’t mean that I let it cripple me. I work with it.”_

_“And you’re going to get yourself killed before you even get close.”_

_“I do it my way and if all else fails, there is a backup plan,” Angela replied with a shrug of her shoulders._

_“And that is why you’re going to lose,” Ruby retorted. “I want Lilith dead but not at the cost of one of the most valuable weapons available. I can’t watch you do this.”_

_“You said that before. There is always a chance.”_

_Ruby had started walking away. She paused and turned to look back in thought about something. She then said, “Lilith prefers to occupy little girls. It’s all part of her psyche. If you want to be sure, use those eyes of yours really good.”_

Angela couldn’t really tell Dean that she could see demons if she tried to. Cerebus and hellhounds were cakewalk simply because for some weird reason they were the same thing as spirits and reapers and she didn’t understand that scientific babble. Demons were a different story.

It was easier with Dean piercing the veil since he was connected to her in some way. It was sort of like when she laid her plan to get back into her body. It was that whole everything is connected on some level or another; she once dubbed it the six degrees of supernatural much to everyone’s amusement or displeasure at the time.

Of course there were some things that she couldn’t see. Like she told Sam and Dean, she couldn’t see auras but Augie sure could. Angela remembered when the girl first discovered it after they started training and she managed to quell some of the anger that the girl had towards her situation. Of course the slap to the face helped quite a bit.

Those led to thoughts about her discussion with Dean and her mentioning that he could chest death by becoming a vamp. She had told the truth that he and more likely Sam would be like Augie. They would be human for the most part and able to blend in a lot better than full blooded vampires. They would have the same reflexes she had and the upside was that they wouldn’t sprout fangs like she did nor would they get that weird glowing thing with their eyes. They would need to drink blood though if they were seriously injured. That she wasn’t too thrilled with and Dean understood that which was why he said he wasn’t even going to consider it though she suspected that Sam knew a little about it since he was an academic.

Angela knew she was being selfish when she made Augie into someone like her. It was the truth that she wasn’t ready to let go and it was true that she raised the girl into what she was. Angela knew that she was a doomed creature and her interactions with humans always led to some disaster or another and for her to take in a human girl like she did… It was one of those moments and probably one of weakness.

She had become attached to Augie and even though she didn’t really show any outward signs of affection apart from approval when the girl succeeded in a training exercise, she did become attached. When that one mission went wrong and she was in danger of losing Augie for good, she became like Dean and did the desperate act. Now Augie was cursed to live the rest of her days like a dhampir. Augie though never expressed regret or anger about it but rather seemed happy that she could spend a longer time with her.

_Cat you touch people whether you want to or not. The generosity that is as natural as breathing… it’s all you and people can’t help but admire how hard you try._

Angela gave a slight smile as she remembered that. Gabriel was always one to be brutally honest about things and it came out nice and sweet. One would think that he did that all the time but she knew the snarky messenger of God well. At least the parts he showed to her.

There were several demons surrounding the place. It was as to be expected. Lilith was traveling with the bodyguards so she could have her fun. For this she didn’t have to see. She could smell them and she had observed humans for years. She knew certain tendencies that usually went along with certain job descriptions like the postman. She didn’t doubt that Dean could see them either.

The last time she was going up a nest of demons was… well the first time that she died. It was before she learned a few things about herself. It was also the last time that she had seen her father alive. That was also the time when Gabriel thought he lost her too and that was the first time she saw how the angel felt about her.

_The night was young but there was excitement in the air. Angela was thrilled that they were going on a major hunt. Father said that it was a demon and they were going to exorcise it. Apparently it was responsible for the string of murders that had begun appearing throughout the city of Rome with a majority just outside the Vatican. Whether it was a coincidence or not, Angela, then known as Catalina, wasn’t going to argue; she would follow Father’s lead and maybe Gabe would join them._

_The infiltration was easy; it was WAY too easy. The reason for that was because it was a nest of demons. She and Father were outnumbered and were restrained. At least they didn’t use anything that would cause a burning sensation like that stuff Father mentioned. Still there were going to be rope burns from the whole thing._

_It seemed to amuse the demons greatly that she and her father were vampires, well she was a half vampire and they were hunting things like her and Father. She didn’t find it strange. Father had been turned against his will and yet he went against the killer nature and channeled it to helping others. After that, it seemed that maybe God forgave him or something because here she was and Father was doing what she was doing._

_Gabe managed to get them out by creating a distraction. They had to fight their way out and they ended up being separated from each other. Angela took the exit that led her round the narrow streets. She was rather turned around and for the first time she felt lost. She had no idea what to do since she didn’t have a plan but she knew how to fight._

_That came in handy when she took on a demon and by herself did the exorcism rite. It worked like it was supposed to do and it was a bit of a shock when she saw it working. It was an encouragement as she worked her way back to Father. The last demon she didn’t see until it was too late and she felt the white hot pain pierce her lower back._

Angela had to wonder if it was coincidence or fate or whatever the usual mumbo jumbo that had it be that she and Sam had died in a similar fashion. She remembered how Sam described the sensation and as he did, she could feel the phantom pain too. Would it be a surprise to know that they were stabbed in a similar location?

It sounded creepy in her mind when she took the time to think about it that she and Sam both had their spines severed. She could chalk it up to coincidence since the demon that killed her died by her hand later and it wasn’t Azazel. Of course there was the possibility that demons talked but that kind of thinking could drive a person crazy. Still she couldn’t help but wonder if it was a punishment or cruel reminder of sorts the penalties for messing with life and death without the proper respect. The situation was vastly similar except her father died like John Winchester.

_You know more about things that are dead should stay dead, my pretty. However I’m not one for someone like your friend here to sweeten the pot. A life for a life is how it goes, isn’t that right?_

Angela felt her lip twitch at the memory of Azazel mocking her when John made the deal with the devil to bring Dean back. It made her wonder for a time if he really knew the circumstances about her being there when she should have been a corpse long gone. It was either a blessing or torture that John didn’t ask her about it.

_But he had confidence that I would be able to look after his boys. And look how that turned out. I couldn’t save Sam so Dean gave up his soul and now I don’t know if I could save him because of the possibility that Lilith already altered the damn thing._

Maybe Crowley knew that all along and was just humoring her when she demanded that he teach her all about deals. She wouldn’t put it past him to do something like that. Manipulation and deception is kind of in the job description. Though it did make her feel like a fool that she didn’t anticipate the whole thing.

Ever since she died and come back and she was on her own, she had to learn new things that her father probably would have taught her but then she had to learn on her own. It was trial and error and looking back, Angela figured that Gabriel put up with a lot of crap from her. Yet he stayed with her until that falling out. They both said things that they regretted and she forgave him once the heat of the moment was over but he didn’t feel the same.

Seeing him in the spirit realm or whatever it was called and then hearing his voice on the phone… she had to hope that he was at least beginning to forgive her a little. The thing though that led to that was not something like arguing over who used whoever razor kind of thing to shave; it was more of the whole world in the balance kind of thing. Looking at it now, Angela knew that Gabriel was trying to protect her from it all.

Life really was complicated. She was rather envious of the humans who had the blinders on. They didn’t have to see what she saw every damn day and make those decisions that could affect the balance and all that fancy hoopla. They didn’t have to be the ones that denied personal desires for the sake of others. It wore her down at times as she kept reminding herself to not get too attached otherwise bad things happened. Of course it didn’t work out that way.

Augie, she cursed to a dhampir life. Mary died because of her and so did John. Jessica died. Ash died. Sam died and now Dean was going to die. It was a curse Angela inwardly told herself. Everything good that came her way became cursed the moment she touched it and let her guard down. She should have learned that lesson by now but it was as Gabriel said, it was a part of her. She just couldn’t help it and now she was being backed into a corner again.

Angela watched as the girl Lilith was wearing to the prom looked at the three terrified adults at the table. And people said that Lizzie Borden was bad. Well they had no idea that a hell bitch was riding her ass and the girl was also a nut job anyway. There was just something about a child being that sadistic and cruel that had a body want to shiver.

She hadn’t felt that feeling in a long time. To feel the chills betrayed how anxious she really was about this plan or what they had to come up with since it seemed that Lilith made the place a regular Fort Knox. It was that kind of chill that made you want to act but had to work at it to make sure that your partners didn’t freak out since when the whole group was too nervous then mistakes could be made and then… the shit would hit the fan. However, Sam was right to mention when they were at the Morton House that without fear, you could become cold or something like that.

Angela moved silently through the shadows as she surveyed the house areas. She noted the access points that weren’t being watched as much like the front door. Sam and Dean had the hex bags so Lilith wouldn’t know they were there until they were actually in the house. Her bonus was that she had her tattoo.

She gave the details to Sam about it after he took a good look at it. She could remember how it felt when he traced the pattern of it. It sent a shiver but the good kind of shiver up her spine and it took all the control she could muster to not let it show. She had a thing about people touching her in places that the cheesy sex and romance novels described as intimate places and not the glaringly obvious ones. It sparked a bad reaction but when Sam touched her, it was different.

Angela shook her head free of those thoughts as she moved just a little bit closer and studied Mr. Rogers next door. She couldn’t smell him but she was willing to bet that he was a demon. She felt sorry for these people whose lives were ruined by being possessed. Even if she could perform a quick exorcism, there was always the chance that the meat suit would not be alive.

Demons were known for riding their meat hard, so hard that the original owner died. It usually was easy to spot when the meat suit was dead and when there was still a person inside of them. Sometimes time was of the essence. For instance when they were being sieged by the demons in Monument, they hadn’t been possessed for a while with the exception of the deputy that had been killed before hand; the one that got away and warned Lilith of what happened. The people that didn’t get ganked were fine… until Lilith showed up of course.

_Angela used her fists, resisting the urge to pull out her knife, Absolution and chakram. After all they were still people and if there was a chance to save them, she was all for it. Dean’s plan of letting them in and locking them in with salt… it probably wasn’t the best plan in the book but it sure was one that was in line with her philosophy._

_Demons hit hard and she could hit back. It actually felt good to just use bare muscle and not a blade. She had refused a shotgun much to Sam and Dean’s surprise. Victor looked at her with a raised brow as she helped divvy up the rounds so everyone had more or less the same amount to use. Of course it was a matter of getting the damn thing loaded in the middle of a fight._

_The leader of the soiree was persistent with the whole pinning on the wall thing. She got Sam and Dean on the first try. Angela was aware that she looked ridiculous standing between the boys and a bunch of demons that surrounded them on three sides. The fact that she didn’t go back was startling to them. She couldn’t help but smirk slightly._

_“Impossible.”_

_“Nice fluke,” Angela replied._

_She continued to fight until she was finally pinned. The demon was physically holding her against the wall. She said her piece and looked at Angela. “You are a hard one to track.”_

_Angela couldn’t help it, “Well maybe the mojo just doesn’t cut it.”_

_There were some more comments until Sam’s voice came over the PA system reciting the incantation for the exorcism. It allowed Angela to get free and with a quick glance, she had Sam and Dean released. The demons were exorcised and the people were fine after the giant cloud of black smoke disappeared._

_The element of surprise was a constant. The demons couldn’t track her because of her tattoo and she couldn’t be possessed by them unless she allowed it. Distinct advantages for her…_

Angela finished her scouting and made her way back to the house that they holed up in. No doubt Bobby was being the ever watchful eye of the whole thing. She had teased him into a dare of trying to locate her while she did her scouting and he groused at her. Probably it wasn’t a good time with humor but they needed to understand that they needed every advantage they could get.

Ruby was right in using everything at your disposal but Angela made the lines that couldn’t be crossed and of course the boys and Bobby had their lines too. A road could be paved with good intentions but sometimes the ends just didn’t justify the means. Angela had been through that before and the end results were as they were.

It still nagged though about her plan A. Under hypotheticals she would have seen it as a challenge. It would be just another regular game of chess. She had to give kudos for a game that taught her more about being a hunter. She gave a slight smile as she crept into the house.


	9. Chapter 9

Bobby was studying the main house through a pair of binoculars. He was well aware that if Angela were there standing with him, he would have been hearing comments about needing glasses to see things with. It was highly unlikely though since she had only just been cured of her flash blindness through that Eye of Horus. Where she stashed it, she wasn’t telling and it was probably for the best.

The last few days had been hard. It was like getting a big wakeup call in terms of the fact that Dean was going to die. It disconcerted him that he was comforted that his girl had a plan for bringing back Dean but the price was that she was going to the same place Dean was. He didn’t care how many times that girl told him she knew what she was doing. He could see it and he heard it in her voice once during one of their phone calls.

She was scared.

His girl was scared of that place. She was scared of going to hell. She did mention that she had been there before and she knew where to go. That didn’t mean that she was okay about it. Bobby had been a hunter a long time and he had seen and researched things that could make your head spin and something told him that something happened to his girl when she was in the pit and it wasn’t the kittens and walks on the beach experience.

Bobby knew that something happened. She was like Dean and would try to avoid the conversation by making a joke or completely changing the subject. Sometimes she would get rather quiet and thoughtful and it was easily overlooked when other things were going on. He could only imagine what the place looked like and what happened down there.

Eventually she did say a few choice words about her time there. The only sad thing was that the boys weren’t there to hear it. Bobby figured that it had to do with the fact that she still hadn’t told them about her plan to rescue Dean if all else fails. Hell he was tempted half a dozen times to tell them but knowing how they were in their feelings towards her, it would probably lead to a fallout and icy glares or worse, kicking her out. She and Dean were of similar temperament and if they said things… It probably was better but he felt like he was lying to them with what she told him.

_Bobby was putting the last of the things into the box that was to be stashed in the trunk of the Camaro when he decided that he needed to know something. He looked at Angela who was calmly checking the inventory of her weapons stash as well as the concoctions that were medical, cleanup or offensive depending on the situation. He could see it in her eyes that something was troubling her. He asked, “Ya want to talk about it?”_

_“Talk about what Bobby? Do you want to give me the reasons why I shouldn’t be doing this?”_

_“Don’t sass me girl,” Bobby warned in a gentle tone. “I know this very idea that ya have has got ya scared. I may be old but I’m smart and I ain’t blind. The B-side has got ya scared.”_

_Angela put the last of the stuff in the trunk. She had a look that was very Dean like but looked better on her features. Finally she sighed and replied, “I am scared.”_

_That was encouragement enough for Bobby to encourage her more. “About whether or not it will work?”_

_“It will work.” Angela took the box from Bobby and secured it in the trunk. “It’s the place I’m scared of Bobby. I would be going back to the very place that Dean will land in and I will see him again; the one who…” She broke off not sure how to say it._

_Bobby wasn’t sure then if he really wanted to know. He had to ask though, “You were tortured in hell weren’t ya?”_

_“I don’t even know if torture describes it. All I can say is I would rather go through it again than let Dean go there.”_

Bobby had to admit that she had put on a brave and determined face. That didn’t change the fact that she was still scared. It was a wonder that she hadn’t had a bad case of heart palpitations that went wrong. It amazed him that she was willing to go back just to keep Dean from going through what she did. She once mentioned in private that her ability to remain strong in the face of crisis was an act and she pointed out what happened when Sam died.

Bobby could understand that. He had asked her why she felt the need to put on an act and be the strong one. She said that someone had to be. In the grand scheme of things, someone had to be the one to stand up and make those choices otherwise what else was there? It sounded like nonsense to him but he understood what she was getting at and it rather saddened him that she felt she had to do everything. It had him thinking that whatever happened in her distant past contributed to her current mindset and the bad joke that she had a damaged psyche.

“It’s the little girl,” Dean said. “God her face is awful.”

“Well it would be. She’s the first,” Angela said as she popped up behind Dean.

Dean visibly jumped as well as Sam and Bobby. Cerebus didn’t bat an eyelid as he harrumphed a bit. Dean was just more vocal about it, “Damn it Angie. Do you have to do that?”

Angela gave him an inquisitive puppy look as well as one of slight confusion as she studied him. She replied, “Considering that I was out there scouting and doing what I do best…” She sighed and gave a tolerant look and said, “Sorry but when I scout, until I’m back at base, it’s stick to the shadows.”

“Hence the name Shadow Chasers?” Sam asked the question.

“Something like that. As to the girl, it’s typical of Lilith. She prefers children and there are stories that are pretty nasty,” Angela replied as she stepped up to the window to take a look. She could only guess what was going on behind the curtain.

“Well that was pretty fast,” Bobby commented. “I couldn’t even see you.”

“Benefits of the vamp package and it’s a gift,” Angela replied. She continued to stare out the window with a firm expression as she studied the scene.

Sam made a slight face at that. He couldn’t forget how she seemed to suddenly appear in the basement during his and Ruby’s conversation. He had been so certain that he was alone even though he heard the creaking of the steps. It was on par with how fast she could move like when she scared Elena in Milagro. If she could do that against Lilith, then maybe there was a chance. “All right then, let’s go. We’re wasting time.”

Dean said, “Wait,” at the same time Angela said, “Hold it,” and grasped Sam’s jacket sleeve.

Dean noticed that and didn’t say anything about it. He noticed that whenever she sensed Sam getting too anxious, she had a way of stopping him and it usually was a touch to his jacket sleeve or grab him by the wrist. He then noticed that she had put her hand on his shoulder in the same movement but she was still looking out the window.

Sam looked at his brother and Angela. He frowned as to why they were waiting. “For what? For her to kill the rest of them?” His voice rose a little in temper since he didn’t understand. Well Angela he could since she was the patient type.

Dean shot a look at Sam and replied, “Yeah and us too, if we’re not careful. Look.” He motioned for Sam to take a look. “You know what I mean right Angie?”

Angela was still staring out, “Yep. That mailman at nine o’clock is a real go getter and a stench that makes your two day old socks smell good Dean.”

“I have a system,” Dean muttered unnecessarily. It was an automatic response and Dean knew that she must have caught whatever scent she could pick up that sang ‘demon’ like a canary. He pointed out the other demon, “And Mr. Rogers over there.”

“Makes a nice picture if you like the demon version,” Angela muttered. “There are more around but not close by. They will come if the alarm is sounded though. Typical guard technique.”

Sam looked at his brother and Angela who was staring out and studying the scene. He wondered what she was thinking since her face betrayed nothing unless her sarcasm was anything to go by. “Okay fine. We ninja past those guys, sneak in. Follow Angie’s lead.”

“And then what? Then give a Colombian necktie to a girl?” Dean looked at Sam like he was nuts.

“I know it’s awful but this isn’t just about saving you Dean,” Sam replied, “This is about saving everybody.”

“Then we do it without killing the girl,” Angela replied finally looking at both boys.

Bobby then said, “She’s gotta be stopped.”

“Then we do it without killing her,” Angela replied in a firm tone. It was probably a mistake but it was the right thing in her mind. Well no one deserved possession. She looked at the three of them and then out the window. “There is traditional and then there is the innovative.” Her hand went to her neck and she started fingering both the star and the amulet thoughtfully.

Dean looked at Angela and then out the window. Even he didn’t want to kill a little girl. Angela made hard choices and she was always searching for one that didn’t leave a trail of blood. It was then he noticed the amulet and he recognized it as the one that she had found. He figured she must be cooking something up her sleeve. He didn’t like it any more than she did but there may not be any other choice here. “Oh damn it.”

Angela turned and gave a look at Dean. “Dean.”

“Angie you know that there is no other way,” Sam said. “We have one shot at this…”

“Three strikes and you’re not out,” Angela replied, “There is always one more thing you can do.” She was still playing with the amulet and the star. She was thinking about the means available to her; the resources she had to work with.

“Okay so you have something then because if go in…” Sam didn’t like it either and while he admired her sense of whatever it was, he was finding this stubborn stance to be a little too much at times. “I know this is hard…”

“And I know it too,” Angela replied tempering her voice into a calm she didn’t feel, “I made the decision to curse a life because I was a selfish bastard and it’s because I’m such a selfish bastard that I would rather get Lilith without harming a child.”

Sam and Dean both flinched at her use of the term selfish bastard and for different reasons. For Dean it was fresh in his mind about what she said about Gus. For Sam he felt like he was hearing someone else call her that and he didn’t like that at all. He never liked it when she degraded herself since he found her to be the most generous person around.

“Well ya better come up with something,” Bobby said. Even he was uncomfortable with that label she gave herself.

Angela looked at Bobby and noticed the look. She really did think she had been selfish when she turned Augie and she explained it Dean. She was selfish with the boys calling them hers and she would defend them to the death. The thing was that she would not cross the line at killing a child. She gave a slight expression and replied, “We do the ninja act but our concern is Mr. Rogers and the mailman. Take them out first and we move in. I know it sounds hypocritical so sue me.”

“Didn’t say nothing,” Dean replied. “So we take out the guard and head for the head honcho. What about the others?”

“That’s where Bobby’s expertise with plumbing comes into play.”

****

Dean stayed low as he approached the point he was to hit to get his target. He glanced at the area near his feet and saw… He figured Angela was right in that it was better that she be the only one to see Cerebus in this state. True he could see it under his normal dog look but man the mutt was one ugly mutt. The thing was he was expecting the three heads thing since Greek legend said that he was supposed to be a three headed mutt but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to see it.

The mutt was still following orders and tagging along. Dean was sure that they were going to be spotted before they could do their part. He wasn’t going to argue with Angela though. After the adamant way she was about how to gank Lilith and what she called herself. She did have a good plan and he hoped that it would work.

He got to where he was supposed to be and rattled the picket fence. It worked since the go getter postman gave chase. He led him to where Sam was waiting with Ruby’s knife and Sam stuck him. Dean made sure the guy didn’t make a sound or try to smoke out and waited until the guy was dead. That was one more demon down. Now it was time for Mr. Rogers.

Cerebus helped on that part and actually lured the guy out. Apparently it was strange for a hellhound to appear without his demonic master even if he was in his normal dog mode. Again the demon gave chase and Cerebus led him straight to Sam and Dean and they stuck him too. He also had a nasty bite on the leg from the mutt which served to prevent the demon from leaving.

Sam pulled the knife out and wiped it on his jacket. It as nasty business and he had seen blood and guts from hunts. He had seen Angela kill with Absolution and the thought occurred to him that she had done a similar act but in that deadly calm that he found disturbing. He took a few breaths as Dean dragged the body out of sight and kept an eye out.

Dean finished moving the body and moved forward. He was to the chain link fence when someone pushed him into it hard. The next thing he heard was, “I’d like my knife back please. Or your neck snaps like a chicken bone.”

Cerebus started growling and snarling. Dean could hear the threatening tone and knew the mutt was going to charge. It didn’t come though because Sam arrived and said, “He doesn’t have it. Take it easy.”

Dean managed to spit out, “Yeah. Otherwise the mutt will decide you’re dog chow.”

“You think I’m afraid of a disgrace to hellhounds? You’ve got another thing coming,” Ruby replied. The growls caught her attention and she glared at Cerebus but he refused to back down. “Down boy or I will do worse to you. You pathetic excuse for a hellhound.” She sneered as she said it since she didn’t think much of him.

Dean took a breath after he had been released. He was a little relieved that the mutt was hovering around. “How the hell did you get out?”

“What you don’t know about me could fill a book,” Ruby spat back.

“Yeah and what you know about me couldn’t fill a quarter of it,” Angela’s voice came in as she appeared out of the darkness. She looked at Sam and Dean before focusing on Ruby. “I figured you would find a way out. Your kind usually does.”

Ruby sneered at Angela when she noticed that Dean was looking at her strangely. She snapped, “What?”

Dean tried to play it off and replied, “Oh. I couldn’t see it before but you are one ugly broad.”

“Glad I’m not the only one who noticed,” Angela deadpanned. “And I saw it the day you came to kill me.”

Ruby rolled her eyes. Of course Angela would bring that up. Ruby knew that she wasn’t going to win points with her. They just hated each other, plain and simple. “Sam, give me the knife before you hurt yourself.”

“You’ll get it when this is over,” Sam replied.

“It’s already over. I gave you a way to save Dean and you shot me down. Now it’s too late. He’s dead. And I’m not gonna let you die too.”

“Nice to see you so concerned, Ruby. I seem to recall you said the same thing to me once when you pestered me about a plan,” Angela replied as she crossed her arms. “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

“And I am not gonna let you drag him on your way to perdition. I told you what you needed to do and you won’t cross that line. Now give me the knife Sam.”

“Try to stop me and I’ll kill you bitch,” Sam countered.

“Hit me with your best shot, baby,” Ruby taunted. She then felt her throat constrict and she started to gag slightly like she was choking.

“That good enough for you,” Angela replied as she watched the expression flit across Ruby’s face. Her eyes had briefly flickered and were their normal coloring. The gauntlet had been tossed in the ring.

Meanwhile Dean had been paying attention to sounds that his ear caught. He looked back at the others and said, “Guys, guys. Hey. Have your little catfight later.” He looked back trying not to notice the fact that Angela had pulled something like a Darth Vader. She must really hate Ruby if she was being as bad as a demon with the mojo.

The other demons had spotted them. They were outnumbered even with Cerebus and his hellhound feistiness. Dean suppressed the urge to shudder at the dozen or so ugly ass faces he was seeing. It was actually terrifying and it wasn’t a horror movie. The bad thing was that they had been spotted. “So much for the element of surprise,” Dean muttered.

“Go. Run, run, run.” Sam pushed Ruby forward and was followed by Dean.

Dean was right behind Sam and assumed that Angela was following them. He knew Cerebus was right beside him. It was like having a guide dog or something like that. The mutt kept pace with him as he ran towards the house that Lilith was holed up in.

The demons gave chase as they ran towards the house. Once they were in front of the house Dean looked around, “What the hell is taking Bobby?”

Sam looked around as he started picking the locks and noticed that Angela wasn’t with them. He was sure that she had been right behind them. At least he thought so. Besides, that was part of the plan; that she would be there. “Dean, where’s Angie?”

“That’s not our problem now. The bitch ran off on ya,” Ruby retorted as she looked at the dozen or so demons that were lined up and waiting to attack.

Dean knew that wasn’t the case. Angela wouldn’t ditch them like that; not after all those times she came and bailed them out and one time was when she wasn’t even a hundred percent. She wouldn’t bail out on them. The worm Cary would but not her. She was up to something and he could just feel it. He looked at Sam.

Sam was still struggling with the lock. The look on his face and his agitation was making him fumble at something he could do with his eyes closed. “I’m trying,” he let out.

The demons ran towards them when suddenly the sprinklers went on. The first demons ran through it or tried to run through it but received the nastiest burns ever. The screams were rather nasty and spine chilling. Dean watched as the smoke rose. Bobby had come through for them.

“Well that would give a rather nasty sting,” Angela said as she walked from where she turned on the sprinklers. “Holy water is such a bitch, isn’t Ruby?” She gave a pointed look at the demon.

“Yeah and you’re a real gloater,” Ruby shot back.

“Disappointed that I didn’t ditch you?” Angela gazed at the demon in the eye as she walked like she was taking a stroll. They would be safe for now.

She told Bobby that they would need something like boiling oil to keep multiple demons busy. Of course they all knew that she was metaphorically speaking and Bobby got the gist of her plan. She was talking about creating a shield but with something that would be a pain in the ass to demons, which was why she said his expertise with plumbing was needed.

While they were executing the plan, Bobby was busy blessing the water in the main line. Killing the two obvious threats were to be the distraction that Bobby needed to get it done without being spotted. Angela also voiced that it may end up flushing out any other demons that made up Lilith’s guard. Still they all agreed to go through with it and it worked. As long as the sprinklers were on, the demons couldn’t cross and there were a few other surprises that she had left just in case any one of them got ideas.

Dean knew that Angela didn’t ditch them. He assumed that it was Bobby who was going to trip the sprinklers while she, him and Sam went forward with the plan. He said, “Knew that you wouldn’t.”

“Like I said before a while back,” Angela turned to give a look at Dean and a slight nod.

Dean understood what she meant. She told him after the whole thing when they got her back in her body. She would never willingly leave either him or Sam. If she had to, then it would be with great reluctance and only if she had no choice. Something like being on the very last thread, on the very last rope. He nodded back in understanding.

Sam finally got the door unlocked and opened the door. He walked in and was followed in by Ruby. Outside Dean finally realized their safety net and was laughing in a taunting fashion at the demons that were just itching to get in. At least here was one thing that was going well for them as far as the old Winchester luck was concerned. He walked in after making sure that Angela was following them in after the mutt brushed by.

Angela walked up the steps of the porch and placed a hand on the door. She turned to gaze at the demons that were pissed that they couldn’t get through. She also looked around behind them at the houses of the once quiet neighborhood that would fit in the land of suburbia. She gave one last look and walked in just as Dean asked if Lilith knew that they were there.

“Probably,” she and Ruby said at the same time. They were both pragmatists but they had different ways of viewing the same situation. Angela just looked around and didn’t bother to look down at the corpse by the door. They were in Lilith’s playhouse now and she was the one who knew the rules to her game. The trick was to play along and predict what she was going to do next. If they could do that, they would have a chance and that was a good thing in her book.


	10. Chapter 10

“Smooth,” Angela said after Dean punched out the guy.

As they were making their way through the house, they were snuck upon by the girl’s father. Dean was the first to grab him and reassure him that they were not there to hurt him and to be quiet. The guy was receptive to the fact that they were there to help him and told them where Lilith was. Angela glanced up at the ceiling of the second floor.

This was it. They were almost there and she could see for herself if she could save Dean. She then looked down at Cerebus who was smart enough not to make any sounds since he was still in his hellhound mode. She knew that he would do his duty and protect Dean and if necessary, he would die trying. One more of her following that would do what she said no matter what.

Dean was telling the guy to go down to the basement and put a line of salt along the door when the guy refused to go without his wife. Dean said yes but it was apparent that it was going to be a problem so he slugged the guy and punched the lights out. Dean shot a look when she commented and replied, “Well excuse me but I don’t know that finger trick you do to knock someone out.”

Ruby made a slight snorting sound. So there was an easier way to do this? She shot a look at Angela and muttered, “Something else you didn’t bother to mention?”

“Bite me bitch. Like you could do it,” Angela retorted in a heated whisper as she opened the door to the basement to give Dean a hand. She looked at Sam and gave a slight nod, trusting him to do what he had to. She realized that maybe the thin line would have to be crossed but there was a hope she could cling to that Sam would use what she slipped into both his and Dean’s jacket pockets after showing them.

Sam caught Angela’s gaze. He couldn’t make any promises but he nodded that he understood. He started quietly towards the stairs holding the knife like it was Absolution or Orion. He had to admit that the idea she suggested could work if either he or Dean got close enough to do what she showed them. It was like she said, there was convention and innovation.

It was strange that she wasn’t doing it herself but she explained that Lilith already had a good whiff of her. The bitch would know if she was standing within the same room even if she was able to ninja her way that close. Sam thought she could do that since he had seen what she could do. Even he couldn’t see her when she went scouting throughout the neighborhood. She even laid out the path before taking off and they still couldn’t spot her. She was that good.

She was good enough to kill Ruby and she almost did twice now. First it was the mind thing and then the Darth Vader pinch thing… well it wasn’t exactly like that but it still achieved the desired effect. Sam had noticed that the closer they got to the goal, the inhibitions that Angela was so adamant about keeping, were fading. Twice she lashed out in a killing or trying to kill Ruby. The way she looked at the scene like a general would in a battle… Then there were the disappearances, like she was going to set up a plan or something. It was like she was convincing herself that it was no holds barred or something.

There was one restriction that she was maintaining and even Sam could see that it was faltering. Using the knife to kill the girl… Ruby would say that using alternative means would be the plan with the higher body count. Sam knew though that it was more likely Angela’s soft spot for children that was holding her back. It never occurred to him that she might have been in his position before and had made a decision that haunted her and prompted her to try harder. He made his way up the stairs towards the girl’s room slowly with the knife.

Meanwhile, Angela was helping Dean with the salt and making sure the guy was comfortable. She was outing a lot of trust in Sam to do what he had to do. She wasn’t for killing a child but she knew that if there was no other way, then it had to be done. It reminded her of another time she was in a similar position and in the end she ended up killing the boy and since then… It was why she worked so hard for the alternative means.

Part of it was part of that desire to prove mostly to herself that she wasn’t a monster. It came across as being unreasonably stubborn but how could the boys understand where she was coming from? Part of that was that she really didn’t tell them everything about herself. Bobby knew hints of it and didn’t put up too much of a protest when she insisted upon other means of getting rid of Lilith. This was really hard since it involved a child and the boys knew that she had a soft spot for them. They had eyes and could see.

“Everything okay?” Angela looked at Dean’s handiwork. She motioned for Cerebus to get across the line before Dean finished.

“Guy’s probably gonna have a headache when he wakes up,” Dean replied.

“Well better alive with a headache.”

“Tell me about it,” Dean muttered as he finished lining the door with salt. Looking at Angela, he wasn’t sure if he should talk about it now but since it involved his contract, he might as well. “Angie, about your idea for snagging my contract, how do you know it’s gonna work?”

“I don’t but it’s worth a try. It’s all in the wording.” Angela was past being evasive on it. She might as well lay it out on the line for Dean.

“What if there’s the slightest chance that you nabbing in could be considered welching?”

Angela looked at the look Dean was giving her. So apparently someone had been talking to Dean too. Whoever it was she knew it wasn’t Gabriel. As much as he liked the Winchesters in his twisted way, he wouldn’t bother talking to Dean. It didn’t matter though. She replied, “It would have to be worded in the contract and it is a fine line. I have broker’s rights so I can hold a contract and make a deal.”

“So there is the chance that the deal could be off?”

“It would have to take some fancy manipulation on Lilith’s part but it is very difficult to do. Often it takes really drastic measures to change it like that. If Lilith is what she says she is, she loves her skin and won’t attempt it.” Angela looked at Dean and studied his face. “There is a chance that it could be considered welching if she made the change like that.”

Dean considered her words. This was a catch-22 situation. If it wasn’t a welch, there was a chance that he could get out of it. If it was, then Sam would die. He knew he couldn’t take that chance. The thing was, would she be willing to take that chance with Sam’s life? “What are you gonna do?”

Angela sighed. She wasn’t willing to risk Sam’s life, her personal bias aside. Neither was she willing to risk Dean’s life either. She was in between a rock and a hard place. It was just a matter of luck that she had a couple ideas she pulled out of her ass for the occasion. She replied, “I don’t want to risk either of your lives.”

“Then don’t do it. I know how you feel about the Rose.”

“Dean.”

“No buts about it Angie. I know how you feel and I was there the first time.” Dean looked at Angela with that determined look of his. As much as he would like to be out of this deal, he would much rather stop Lilith before she made life hell for some other poor soul. “Rule number one is first. Not your version but mine. Mine is first this time around. You get me?” He looked at her to make sure she got it and he had to be strong in order not to fall for the eyes.

“I do Dean but you mean a lot to me too. I may have Sam topside but not you,” Angela replied aware that it sounded like a really bad romance novel. The truth was she wanted them both alive and kicking. She loved them both but differently yet it was regarded differently by her. Mainly it was because of the fact that she could outlive them both. She knew the fragility of life better than they could.

“I know Angie but remember the goal? We still look after each other but we stop being martyrs about it. Even you agreed to that or are you applying double standards again?”

Angela sighed. She was doing it again. She was applying double standards again. “You’re right, I am.”

“Angie, you’re not just some commodity or whatever the hell it is called. You’re family and that means if you did something stupid and you died Sam and me would be devastated. Well we were when you did die and don’t argue semantics with me. The point is that you need to be smart about this too. You are trying in regards to the girl Lilith is riding.”

“That is because I don’t like it when children are used and discarded like trash.”

“Yeah right. I know you have a thing about kids,” Dean countered as they walked up the stairs to the main floor. “Don’t risk it Angie. Just watch out for Sam.”

Angela looked at Dean and replied, “I get it. Rule number one. That won’t stop me though from determining if there is the chance or not.”

Dean looked at Angela with a frown. “What do you mean?”

“An idea I pulled out of my ass. There is a way to find out if changes had been made. I just looked it up before we started this plan.”

“Nice timing,” Dean nodded in sarcasm.

“Bite me.”

“Right like I want fangs,” Dean replied teasing her. He paused and looked up at the ceiling of the first floor.

Angela looked up too and then looked at Cerebus. He was sniffing the air. Something was up. She could smell demon scent but nothing was sitting right with her. She muttered to Dean to finish the joke, “You’d look good in my kind of fangs.” She motioned towards the stairs.

****

“Well I hate to be I told you so,” Ruby muttered as she and Sam passed Dean and Angela as they made sure the mom and girl were safe in the basement.

“All right Ruby, where is she?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well can she get pass the sprinklers?”

“At her pay grade, she’s not sweating holy water Sam,” Angela said as she followed in while looking around. She glanced at her watch and noted the time. Damn.

It was a moment of desperation and Sam pointedly ignored looking at Angela and looked at Ruby saying, “Okay, you win. What do I have to do? To save Dean. What do you need me to do?”

Dean overheard and demanded, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Shut up,” Sam replied. “Ruby.”

“You had your chance. The only chance you have now is the little goody two shoe over there that doesn’t do anything unless she throws a temper tantrum,” Ruby replied like they were idiots as she motioned in Angela’s direction. “You can’t just flip a switch. We needed time. Blood bitch over there can it’s just that she chooses not to.”

“I did when I wanted to choke your ass,” Angela replied in a low voice that held the bare hint of a warning.

“Well there’s gotta be something, some way. Whatever it is, I’ll do it,” Sam countered. He rounded on his brother when he grabbed him. “Don’t Dean. I’m not gonna let you go to hell.”

“And I won’t either,” Angela replied out loud. “Not if I can help it and if there is a chance.” She looked pissed but she shot a look at Dean and he understood.

Dean knew what she told him but he wasn’t going to let her take that risk. She would have to get close to Lilith and that meant the possibility of death. He couldn’t hit Sam with a double whammy like that. He said, “Yes you are. You both are. I’m sorry. I mean, this was all my fault. I know that. But what you’re doing is not gonna save me and what you want to do Angie won’t save me. It’s only gonna kill you.”

Angela took in the look that Dean was giving her. He was telling her no but she had one extra trump card. She looked at Sam and saw the tears threaten as he asked, “Then what am I supposed to do?”

Dean looked at his huge little brother and felt his throat convulse with emotion. He could see the hurt and anger and helplessness that was filled in Sam’s eyes. He didn’t have to look at Angela. He knew she was the strong one of the group and even if she didn’t show that much emotion, she felt it. Finding his voice he said, “Keep fighting. Take care of my wheels. Sam, remember what Dad taught you. Okay?”

Sam couldn’t speak. The emotions were barely being kept in as he looked at Dean. He nodded that he heard his brother.

“And remember what I taught you and talked to you about.” Dean made a slight motion with his eyes towards Angela.

Sam didn’t nod but gave a slight smile as the tears were near the breaking point. He could do what Dean asked. He would remember because Dean was his brother. He was the best big brother he was ever going to have.

Dean knew that Sam would listen to him. He smiled to reassure his brother and he looked at Angela. She would do what he said and he didn’t make her promise. He wasn’t like Dad in that regards and he knew she would do it because of what she felt for Sam. He looked in the direction of the clock as it started tolling the hour and felt Cerebus nudge his leg. He wasn’t going to be alone.

“I’m sorry Dean,” Ruby said as the clock struck midnight. “I wouldn’t wish this upon my worst enemy.”

 _That’s a first_ , Angela thought as she heard the final stroke. She put her hand into her jacket pocket and pulled out the fist. She controlled her breathing as best as she could even though she felt the need to cry and the tears were ready to pour. She could see them in Sam’s eyes and she wouldn’t blame him.

Suddenly Cerebus started growling low. Dean glanced down and the sight he saw… it was horrible. He followed the gaze of the mutt to what he was growling at. “Hellhound. There.” He pointed slightly just as Cerebus started growling and snarling louder.

Angela looked and saw the hellhound. It was puny compared to Cerebus but just as deadly. It was also one ugly son of a bitch even though Cerebus was rearing his three heads right now and she was partial to him. She moved slowly to get a good look. She said, “Cerebus…” She then noticed the hellhound coming closer. She then shouted her command in the language she trained him in while at the same time pushing everyone to run.

Dean took off and was followed by Ruby and Sam. He cast a look at Angela and asked, “Cerebus?”

“He’ll buy us time,” was all that Angela shouted. She knew he would give that hellhound a run for his money. “Trust me.”

Dean was willing to believe that as he ran into what appeared to be a study. Sam and Ruby shut the doors and with Angela’s help, they held it as the two fighting hellhounds beat against the door. There was crashed and bangs along with snarling and Dean didn’t want to see what was happening as he opened the bag of that black dust to keep the hellhounds at bay. He laid the line down and heard Cerebus moan in pain as he finished. He then rushed to make sure the windows had a line too since the banging stopped.

Ruby looked at Sam and said, “Give me the knife. Maybe I can fight it off. Come on. That dust won’t last forever and the hell mutt you brought is finished.”

“Sam don’t,” Angela said.

Dean looked. He knew what Angela knew. That wasn’t Ruby. “Wait. Sam, that’s not Ruby.”

The next thing that happened was Sam being pinned to the wall and Dean being pinned to the table. Ruby missed Angela at first but gave a hard punch. Dean asked, “So how long have you been in her?” He grunted as he tried to resist being pinned to the table he was on. He knew he was dead meat the longer he stayed there.

“Not long,” fake Ruby now Lilith replied as she cracked her neck, getting used to her body. “But I like it. It’s all grown up and pretty.”

“Still a little girl at heart right queen bitch?” Angela stood up from where she had been thrown. “I couldn’t smell it before since you all smell alike at some point except for Ruby.”

Lilith looked at Angela and grinned. She liked Absolution and how she managed to thwart her on her plans to capture her. “You really are a specimen Absolution. And so very pretty. It’s too bad I can’t have your body.”

Angela stood there and narrowed her eyes slightly at Lilith. Here was yet another who wanted her for whatever purpose. It was same every damn time. Finally she said, “You wouldn’t be able to wear it to the prom with the same flourish.” Her hand was clenched in a fist. “So what did you do with Ruby?”

“She was a very bad girl. So I sent her far, far away.”

“That’s reassuring.” It was a flash that Angela moved and headed straight towards Lilith. She grappled and muttered something before releasing Lilith. She waited but nothing happened.

Lilith looked at Angela. “Did you just try to use a verification spell on me?”

“And idea that was pulled out of my ass,” Angela replied.

“Big mistake,” Lilith replied with narrowed eyes. She motioned with her hand and there was a sickening crack as the body flew across the room.

Sam and Dean watched as the limp form of Angela landed with a crash and remained there. Both shouted, “No!”

Lilith looked at them with a grin on her face. “Too bad. I really wanted Absolution’s power but because she wants what she can’t have and tried to mark me… If you must know puppy chow, I didn’t change anything.”

Dean realized what Lilith was saying. The bitch knew that Angela would be going after the deal. His girl never stood a chance and now she was dead. He heard the sickening crack of the neck snapping. He watched as Lilith turned her attention to Sam and she said, “Hello, Sam. I’ve wanted to meet you for a very long time.”

Sam was oscillating between the shock of seeing Angela meet her death and the scared and angry feelings of being in the position he was in. It was disgusting when Lilith reached for him and gave him a kiss.

“Your lips are soft.”

Sam resisted the urge to spit. It was disgusting. “All right, so you have me. Let my brother go.”

Lilith was amused by the whole situation. “Silly goose. You want a bargain, you have to have something that I want.” She tsked Sam and gave a coy look. “You don’t.”

Dean knew the situation was hopeless. He still had to try and keep Sam alive. “So this a part of your big plan huh? Drag me to hell, kill Sam, and then what? Become queen bitch?”

Lilith sneered at Dean and replied, “I don’t have to answer to puppy chow.”

“But you do have to answer to me.”

Three pairs of eyes turned to the corner where they met a pair of glowing orbs. Out of the shadows came Angela and she was holding Absolution out and pointed at Lilith. She inched her way forward with her eyes focused on Lilith.

Lilith looked at Angela. “Impossible. I killed you.”

Angela glanced over at where her body lay. It disappeared in a shimmer. She looked at Lilith and replied, “Wonderful thing on the fly doppelgangers and projections are. And it’s so simple too.” She narrowed her eyes in playful jest. She knew that there would have to be explanations later but that was later. “So you thought to kill me. Why couldn’t you just tell your pets that were after me to do it?”

Lilith was still in shock that she had been outmaneuvered by Absolution. She managed to compose herself and reply, “Well I could have just had you killed but there is something about you that I just like. That and you have something that I want but you have to be alive.”

“That’s a first. Most just want to kill me and then take what they want,” Angela replied with a slight look. “So now that we are here, why not talk about it? Something you want for something I want.”

Dean looked at the situation. Did Angela just say what he thought she just said? A look at Sam told him his brother was thinking the same thing. She better not be thinking of a damn deal. He hissed, “Angie.” He struggled as he said it as if trying to get free would enable him to stop her from making the biggest mistake of her life.

Lilith looked on in pleasure at Angela. “Well you are very pretty and you have what I want but I don’t think that it’s enough to trade for what you want.”

“A pity then,” Angela replied. She then threw what was in her hand at Lilith and started saying the transfer incantation.

Lilith was pissed when the sigil hit her right on the mark. She glared at Angela and replied, “Do you think to steal the contract from me? For that…” She flung her hand forward to try and pin Angela to the wall.

Angela was in the middle of the incantation when Lilith made her move. She had to defend herself if she was to finish it. With her adrenaline up, she countered by putting her ability full force. Hers and Lilith’s hit at the same time and it was like pushing on a wall. Each put their will behind it.

To Sam and Dean, it was like watching Star Wars or something. Sam coined it as Newton’s law in motion. When two forces of equal force interact, there was an equal and opposite reaction. That occurred when Angela was flung to the side from the force next to Sam and pinned. Her nose was bleeding from the strain.

“Nice try,” Lilith replied as she walked towards the door. In a sing song tone, she said, “Sic em boy,” and opened the door.

At that moment, Angela shouted for Cerebus. The door was let open and the hellhound that was Lilith’s bitch made it in. On its heels was Cerebus and it grabbed her bitch’s leg and there was groan of pain. That was short when Cerebus was flung and broken wood impaled him. It wasn’t the thing to kill him but it would put him out of commission for a time.

Angela and Sam screamed for Lilith to stop while she was laughing as her bitch tore into Dean. They listened to Dean’s agonized screams as he bled out. Sam cried out no as Angela looked at Lilith. She knew what was next and the bitch wasn’t going to have it. Her rage boiled and she glared with her glowing orbs at full intensity at Lilith as she let loose the flash of light that she knew so well.


	11. Chapter 11

Lilith smiled thinking that she had gotten rid of Sam. It was a surprise to see Sam on the ground protecting himself but even more surprising was seeing Angela standing in front of Sam. Lilith took in the glowing orbs that she recognized from Vera and the billowing locks that had fallen loose from the tidy coil Angela had worn and the humming blade that was in the girl’s right hand. What terrified Lilith the most was the look of pure rage on Angela’s face which was even more scary with the blood pouring from her nose.

Angela was aware that she was angry. She was extremely angry. Lilith took Dean but she was damned if she was going to take Sam. Rule number one was most important. She reached deep down and somehow she managed to protect herself but she also detected something from Sam. No matter since two against one were better odds anyway.

When the light died down, Angela saw Lilith looking startled. She said unaware that her voice sounded slightly warped, “You look surprised Lilith.”

Sam slowly lowered his hands when he realized that he wasn’t dead. He looked up to see Angela standing in front of him holding Absolution and Lilith looking confused at what happened. Did Angela do something to protect him? Or was something up? It was disconcerting though to find that he was on the ground and Angela was standing straight up. He listened to her voice and frowned a bit at having never heard it sound like that before.

He stood up and gently put a hand on Angela’s shoulder. It was a relief that she didn’t attack him but it was disturbing that she seemed to have eyes only for Lilith. A glance told Sam that Lilith was in shock and surprise. He moved to stand beside Angela who was just looking at Lilith. “Angie?”

“Bet the bitch was expecting me to kill myself again,” Angela replied.

There was less warping of her voice but it was enough to have Sam be a little alarmed. He took a step forward to get her to focus but was nearly stopped when Lilith motioned with her hand and said, “Back.”

When nothing happened, Sam took a few more steps. Angela was beside him, moving with him. She had Absolution. They were covered even though Ruby’s knife was on the ground. He just had to bend over and pick it up.

“I said, back,” Lilith repeated as she stepped back and tried to use her powers. She was confused as to why they weren’t working. There was no way that Absolution was able to do that. She didn’t have the juice for it. Something was up with Sam too.

“I don’t think so,” Sam and Angela said at the same time. Sam raised the knife and Angela stood ready to thrust Absolution into Lilith’s gut.

Before they could do that, Lilith smoked out. There was no way she was going to stay where she was vulnerable. Absolution and that little knife had the ability to hurt her. Besides she had seen the look in Angela’s eyes. It was a look that said she was going in for the kill and that there would be no mercy no matter what. She had to get out.

Angela raised her free arm to shield her eyes and Sam was doing the same. As she watched the smoke disappear into the vent, she felt her rage die. It was like since the cause was leaving, there was no reason for it. She calmed herself down as the last of the smoke cleared out and slowly turned to look at the corpse that was Dean on the ground. She didn’t move at first as the image soaked in and for the first time since she had started out with Absolution, she dropped him with a clang.

Sam was already making his way towards his brother. His lip was quivering and the tears were coming. He kneeled and slowly raised his brother to hold him. “No.” The tears were pouring out of his eyes.

Angela was more silent in her tears. They were pouring as she walked, stepping around the body that housed Lilith and Ruby, and kneeled beside Dean. It had been a long shot when she came up with the idea of a doppelganger to get in and check to see if Lilith made changes to the contract but it worked in that she was still standing and she tried. She just wasn’t fast enough and it was little comfort that she had been able to get in without Lilith noticing. It just didn’t matter now that Dean was dead.

She kneeled and put her hands in her lap and wrung her hands as the tears flowed. She felt morbid that she knew she had one thing left and that involved her going to hell. Yet her heart wasn’t into the urgency now even though she knew that she had a small window of opportunity. Her brother was taken from her just like everything else that was good. She just wanted to take her anger out on everyone that did that and tried to do and it didn’t matter if it was human or not.

Sam was hurting and that made her angry too. She was hurt and angry because he was hurt. She was afraid to touch Sam as he cried over his brother’s body. Instead she reached out to grasp Dean’s limp and held it as she hunched over. The tears dripped down her nose and mingled with the blood that was still dripping. Her shoulders were hunched over as she leaned over him and tried to breathe. She could hear Sam calling his brother’s name as she closed her eyes as the tears leaked out.

It was still new to her in terms of tapping into the spirit realm. She rarely used her healing ability that far and the few times she tapped in, she had no idea how she did it. She did learn the power of emotions and what one could do with them in terms of tapping into the spirit realm. That was what she did as she held onto Dean in her grief. It was then she heard, “Somebody help me! Sam! Angie! SAM!”

A slight moan caught her attention and Angela saw Cerebus in his visible mode limping. His body was caked in blood as he made his way towards Dean’s body. He nuzzled Sam and Dean as if that would get Dean to get up and move. He whined in sadness and tried licking Dean’s face as his huge body started sinking towards the ground in weakness from loss of blood.

Sam couldn’t stop the tears. He had lost his brother. He glanced over and saw Angela holding onto Dean and hunched over. When she sat up, her sides heaving as she tried to breathe, he could see the tears and the blood on her face. She was not a crier by nature and yet to see her cry, it felt like… It sort of hurt and wrung at his heart. It was a surprise when she backed away slightly when he reached to touch her hand. He knew it wasn’t him but all the same…

Angela slowly and fluidly stood up and walked over to put Absolution back on her back in its sheath. She then walked over to pick up Cerebus. He wasn’t going to make it back to the house they were squatting in. She patted his head and murmured that he was a good boy. She looked at Sam while giving a final pat to Cerebus’ head and stood up to head towards the front door.

“Angie?” Sam managed to get out as he watched her walk to the front door.

Angela paused at the door and looked in Sam’s direction before opening it. Sam thought the worst; that she was going on a kamikaze mission and kill herself. He looked at Cerebus who lifted his head and moved his body into a protective position of Dean without being told. Sam trusted the hell mutt and thought it cruel to expect him to do anything but he had to stop her from doing anything stupid.

Sam made it to the front door and saw Angela looking at the demons still being held back by the sprinklers. She was looking at them with a firm stance as if daring them to come through. She said, “It’s over. Queen bitch is safe for now. Do you really want to fuck with me now?”

It would have sounded strange to outsiders but it seemed to do the trick. Sam watched as the demons paused to consider. He looked at Angela who was just standing there but her posture told him that she was ready to fight. The demons cleared out after considering everything and clearly decided that it wasn’t worth it to mess with her. It was only then that she turned to look at Sam and return to get Dean and Cerebus.

****

Gabriel looked up at the sky as midnight came and went. It was done then. Dean had been made into dog chow and was dead. He knew that because he felt it. She was grieving and she was pissed. Angry at whom, he could guess unless it was a what and that was up for grabs. He felt it and wanted to go there but he got the feeling that she would not want it at the moment.

“I take it has happened?”

Gabriel turned to glare at Faisal who was standing there being smug about it. “Fuck off Faisal.”

“I told you the elder Winchester was going to die no matter what she did. She didn’t have what it took to chase her and get her before the end.”

“She’s not a killer Grandpa Vamp,” Gabriel replied as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“It’s in her blood. It’s what she is. She has the blood of the vampire in her veins and she won’t be able to deny her nature forever.” Faisal took a few steps forward. He knew he probably deserved a proper ass kicking but he was a firm believer that everyone succumbed to their nature eventually.

“She will because it is in her nature to care,” Gabriel retorted. He turned to think inwardly about what Cat’s next move would be. If he knew his girl and if she really cared about something, she would do what it took to get it even if it was going to be detrimental to her state of mind.

“And look where that has gotten her. The youngest died and we all felt what happened there. The eldest made the deal and now he’s dead,” Faisal pointed out. It’s what made him the asshole among his peers but someone had to be otherwise things wouldn’t be considered and ever gotten done. “She probably wanted to exorcise Lilith from the little girl she took residence in before killing her. The bleeding heart is her weakness.”

“Did you ever stop to think why she is who she is?”

“This has been a mess since day one. The pit should have taught her to be tougher and to not make attachments. She hasn’t learned.”

Gabriel turned to look at the vampire. He narrowed his eyes and replied, “And I hope she doesn’t learn because then there will be nothing left if she does.”

“You seem to have confidence her way will succeed in the end and you were the one that told the youngest that this kind of thinking leads to nothing but pain. You are such a hypocrite Gabe.” Faisal shook his head as he walked around.

Gabriel paused. Maybe Faisal was right in that it was hypocritical but as far as Cat was concerned, she learned and had faced those tough choices. It’s what made her try harder in many things. He replied, “She’s smarter about it. It’s why she tries so hard.” He turned to look at Faisal and added, “That is why you can’t understand her. It’s why you can’t understand any of the dhampirs that aren’t renegades.”

“Oh and you are such an expert considering that you are given orders to kill the Nephilim where you find them,” Faisal spat. Oh yeah he knew about that little business that started way back when.

Gabriel knew about that. He didn’t partake in the initial fear of them. At least they mellowed out except for a few that were just plain dicks on the whole. Cat though showed him differently and he helped her establish the means of protecting them. She showed them how to protect themselves and they were doing fine the last he checked. He replied, “Only the dicks do that and they have been doing pretty good with themselves.”

Gabriel thought about what Cat was going to do since he figured that she was going to go to hell. There was the direct approach and that was using someone like him. It was how he got her out the last time she was in the pit; though she did most of the working getting to that point. The other option she had was the hell gate option. That meant that she would need to find a natural hot spot source, a devil’s gate or create a hot spot. He had a pretty good idea what she was going to do.

The debate was whether or not he was going to do anything about it. He really didn’t want her to go back. He knew what she went through in there and he still was paying the price for that. It was one of the reasons why he had stayed away for so long. He didn’t want her to go through that again but knowing her, she would say something about good hearts not deserving hell. He knew that he had to talk to her. That was the plan. He just had to make sure Faisal didn’t know.

“So I’ve heard. She has to toughen up for the fight ahead,” Faisal said with a slight shrug of his shoulders. “Let her mourn and let me take her off your hands.”

Gabriel turned to look at Faisal. He wouldn’t do that. “She’s not chattel you dick.” He then left the vampire. He would talk to Cat.

Faisal looked at the empty space that the angel once occupied. He pushed buttons but he told it like it was and offered to help. The way he saw it, there was going to be no place for the bleeding heart business. He looked at the area and knew that the angel was up to something. Absolution was in a grieving state but she mustn’t be allowed to do something stupid. He would find out.

****

Cerebus let out a slight moan as the bandage was tightened around his middle. Angela gave a sorrowful expression and said, “I’m sorry boy. I know this hurts.”

Cerebus moaned again but not from the pain of his injuries. It was more out of sadness. He looked up at his alpha with sorrowful eyes.

Angela put the finishing touches on the bandage and made sure that it was firm and tight. She heard him moan and looked at him and caught a blast of the pitiful puppy look that was creepy coming from him. She rubbed his head gently and gently pulled on one of his ears. “It’s okay boy. You did good. It’s not your fault… It’s mine.”

“Do ya mean that Angie?”

Angela looked back towards Bobby. She raised her brow slightly as she tried to recall what he had been doing since they got Dean out of the house and away to leave everyone else sort things out. That was after she coached the family about what happened and it worked… at least she thought it did. No one was pestering them in this empty house. She replied, “Everything usually is. Besides it’s my fault that Dean got into this mess.”

Bobby watched as she gently petted the hell mutt. Cerebus looked more sad than in pain. He looked at Angela as she stared straight ahead not really looking at anything still kneeling. “Yer still blaming yourself for the choice he made back in Cold Oak? That’s a load of bull and you know it. Dean knew that too. What the hell is the matter with ya?”

“You three always ask questions that you seem to know the answers to,” Angela replied as she slowly stood up. She rubbed her hands together feeling the dried blood crumble through the friction. “Time is fluid Bobby. If I hadn’t been so foolish, the demon that caused the boys so much pain would never have been released. Sam wouldn’t have died and Dean wouldn’t have made the decision he did and we wouldn’t even be here.”

Angela turned to look at Bobby. Her eyes were drawn in that pensive gaze that often held the mixture of emotions that she was struggling to hold in. “In the end it is my fault. I didn’t fight hard enough and Ruby was right in that I was not and still not willing to cross certain lines. If I had, then it would have worked out differently.”

Bobby studied his girl’s expression. At least he wasn’t seeing what he saw in Cold Oak. That was something he didn’t want to ever see again as long as he was alive. She had started down on a spiral then but Dean’s deal pulled her out. It was rather twisted in that Dena did right by her then considering the secrets he was keeping as part of his word to that goddess. She was still in mourning though but she seemed pretty well held together.

Bobby knew though that it was a façade. She admitted it as much to him in one of their talks and he didn’t understand why she didn’t allow the boys at least to catch her when she felt like she was falling. She was perfectly willing to fall alone and he didn’t like that and he was sure that the boys didn’t either. He took a step forward and replied, “And if it worked out differently would ya even be here?”

“Probably not and it would have been for the best,” Angela replied even though she knew that was a total lie. If that were the case, she would never have met the boys; she would never have met Sam and to think of that was actually more painful than being stuck with a blade.

“Bullshit.” Bobby realized that it came out much harder than he intended it to be and would have apologized but sometimes you needed a bit of tough love. “You would have been the same miserable bitch then as you are now.”

“I’m glad somebody still sees me as a bitch,” Angela replied in sarcasm.

Bobby frowned at her and was actually ready to throttle her for some of the stupid stuff she said. This was actually the worst since she was in that really bad habit of seeing herself less than human still. “Don’t be a smartass. It doesn’t go well with your usual emo brooding bitching self and frankly it’s getting old.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I am old,” Angela countered. She just continued to rub her hands for the lack of anything better to do. “I warned you about damaged psyche.”

“And here I was thinking that you were getting past some of that.”

“Old habits die hard, Bobby,” Angela replied tiredly. She took in the look of exasperation. She felt defeated and weary of everything and there was still one more thing left to do. “What do you want me to say? It seems that no matter what I try, something happens. I still ask myself why I even made more of the damn promise I made to John than I intended to.”

“I don’t know because you are you and you have a caring nature,” Bobby replied in sarcasm. He knew that she responded better to that. “You’ve had plenty of chances to walk away but you didn’t.”

“Yeah that was my mistake.”

“Why didn’t ya then if ya think yer such a bad seed?”

Angela paused a moment. No one really ever asked her why she stayed. Most of the time, they asked why she tried so hard or some other question similar to her activities. Standing there though as she thought about it, there really was no difference in her response; she had the same answer now and it was really why.

Bobby watched her think about it. He could tell that she was really thinking about everything and guessed that she had been asked that question if ever. She probably gotten asked why she did things the way she did and she had a standard answer for them. This time though it seemed that something struck a nerve. “Well? Ya got an answer or you really have no clue?”

Angela replied softly, “I do but it is not right. Not for someone like me.” She shook her head slightly at that.

“Now what the hell is that supposed to mean?” Bobby frowned at that.

“Exactly what it’s supposed to mean,” Angela replied as she turned to walk away.

Bobby saw the calm she started exhibiting. That didn’t spell to be a good thing in his book. When that happened that meant that she was shutting herself off from everyone. He didn’t mind if she did that to him but she better not as hell do that to Sam. He started after her, ignoring the hell mutt and he grabbed her upper arm, “Angie, what do you mean by that?”

“There is a reason vampires don’t fall in love with humans Bobby,” Angela replied as she looked at the grizzled hunter in the eye. She gave a slight pensive look that was on par with Sam’s kicked puppy look. “And someone like me shouldn’t at all.”

Bobby studied the look. He listened to what she was saying. She wasn’t making much sense. “That’s a load of crock and you know it.”

“It’s why I’ve lived as long as I have and why people don’t die when I pass by. I don’t touch anything. Here I touched and I got burned and in so doing, I burned the very people that mean something to me.” Angela looked in the direction where her car was. She then glanced at the sky as she thought about something. “I don’t want to leave but I have to. Once I get the gate open and head in, I’m grabbing Dean and getting him back… then I’m back on the road.”

“So yer gonna just leave us with our asses flapping in the breeze provided everything goes right? What idjit put that into your skull?”

“This idjit did,” Angela replied motioning towards herself. “I can’t explain it but ever since I was brought back from the dead, things happened. It was like it jump started my abilities to the levels that scare me. I don’t know what happened in that house when Lilith tried to kill us. All I know is was that I was very, _very_ angry and I wanted to torture the bitch before a whole bunch of other things that I am surprised I was able to think of. I find myself doing things that I don’t know how…”

“We kind of solved that with your healing ability explanation,” Bobby interrupted. He knew what she was getting at. He knew because the goddess mentioned who she was and he made the decision to be there for his girl to guide her as she needed it. The girl was scared and in her mind she was doing what she perceived as being the right thing.

“Bobby,” Angela replied closing her eyes, trying to be patient in her explanation, “You and I and the boys know at some degree we don’t know what I did. It’s happened enough to be that it’s not some fluke but something that I am capable of. If I know it, that means they know it too and that puts everyone at risk.”

“So yer thinking that the only person you’d be hurting by leaving is you? How big an idjit can ya be?” Bobby looked at Angela incredulously. “You walked in and stayed. You left yer mark on us. That just doesn’t go away. You’ll be hurting us.” Bobby knew it was going to be a low blow to use this card but hell if Dean could do it… “You’ll be hurting him; hurting Sam.”

Angela felt her lips quiver and she felt ashamed that tears were starting to fall again. She never cried and now she felt weak for doing so. She gave a slight sniff and replied, “That is a low blow Bobby even for you.”

“It’s the truth. I ain’t blind. I know how much Sam cares about ya and if you were to go, it would be like cutting his legs out from underneath,” Bobby replied. It was a surprise to see her cry and he wasn’t sure what to do. “Besides do ya really think that doing rule number one from afar would cut it for Dean and you?”

Angela couldn’t help but choke out a laugh even though she was blubbering like a baby. “You really know how to strike a nerve old fart.”

“You do too and because I’m smart,” Bobby replied with a slight smile. “Look, I’ll help ya with setting up for what you are planning but ya have to say something to Sam at least.”

“Get his hopes up?”

“Be honest. Isn’t that what got ya into trouble before?”

Angela sighed as she wiped the tears away. “Yes. It is. It’s just that it hurts to get their hopes up and then have it dashed on the ground to pieces and maybe it’s because I view the world differently. I am an old broad you know.”

“And still looking like yer twenty.”

“Dirty old man,” Angela teased. She composed herself and nodded, “Well, I guess I better get started. Once we plant the package… that’s when I can start.”

Bobby wasn’t pleased that she hadn’t said anything about telling Sam her plans. In his mind the boy ought to know. He didn’t like it but he couldn’t force her to say anything unless he put them together and locked the door but she was cleverer than that. He would just have to go along with it and hope for the best.


	12. Chapter 12

The Camaro had everything that was needed but it was more out of comfort to make sure that it was there. Angela had popped the trunk and opened the side compartment that she had shown Bobby when he agreed to help her and took a peek in. She also cast a look at the arrangements of the artillery she kept in the trunk and noted how much more organized it was with everything in its proper place. She was used to the hodgepodge of the Impala but she had her likes and dislikes.

Inside that hidden compartment were the basic means of not only setting up the hot spot but the stuff to open the hell’s gate she would need. She gave a wry grin at the materials. It was really heavy duty stuff. It was stuff that hadn’t really been seen since the days of what had been called the Old Religion. It was really old stuff, the kind that John Winchester would have gone after with a vengeance.

_If only he could see what a swell job I’ve done so far._

Angela picked up a small bundle wrapped in a suede cloth. She didn’t unwrap it but thought about what it took to get it. People said she was crazy, even the ones she was closest to and maybe there was some truth in that. She was always taking risks to her personal wellbeing in order to save someone. Sam was right in asking if she had a death wish.

_Sam… I am sorry for everything. I tried to get Dean’s deal but… Maybe this will redeem my failures._

Angela put the mound back in the compartment. She had been keeping these ingredients a secret for months. Maybe she should have told both of them when she came up with it but she knew that they would have tried to stop her. It never occurred to her that they would have probably been on board to help or at least find a less direct means. It was less of an evil than her becoming a dealing devil to grab Dean’s deal and change the terms.

She knew that she should be with Sam right now but she couldn’t. She cleaned Dean up and made him look presentable on her own. It was a surprise that Sam didn’t try to help her. She didn’t know that he assumed that she was doing a mourning thing and felt that she should be alone while he helped Bobby build the pine box to transport Dean out to the middle of nowhere and away from busybodies who might say something. That was usually the way of hunters when they got their burials. It seemed oddly fitting in that hunters often lived in that obscure existence to complete nonexistence.

Angela felt that Sam deserved some alone time to say good bye. Even though they both called her family, there were some things that she felt that she was not worthy to be a part of. She did the same for Dean… at least she was sure she did. There was also a small part of her that was afraid to face Sam. She wasn’t sure if she could take the look he would shoot her if he looked at her at all.

“You know I haven’t seen that downcast look since we went solo.”

Angela closed her eyes to stop the tears that were once again brimming. She was turning into a big baby and it really stung to her pride. At least she was looking into the trunk. She could hear Cerebus panting in the back seat where she had put him to rest. She replied in a quiet voice, “We didn’t go solo. We were partners Gabe.”

Gabriel gave a slight smile as he watched his Cat’s back. He replied, “I may be an ass but I have some sensitivity right?”

Angela turned to look at Gabriel. At least this time their meeting was not in the spirit realm. She gave a slight smile and replied, “You can be an ass on occasion but you are a good friend… closer than a friend.”

Gabriel knew that she was going to call him what she called him that long ago. He didn’t deserve that from her. He cut her off, “Don’t get too sentimental Cat. You know it makes me embarrassed.” He gave her a look to indicate that he was not being mean with it.

“At least you came. I’m glad mio fratello,” Angela replied with a low and soft tone. She couldn’t trust her normal tone of voice. “I supposed you know?”

“About Dean? That was a given. It’s hard to ignore the grapevine,” Gabriel replied. “That and I have my ways. Seriously though, I’m sorry you had to go through this.”

“Been spying on me again?” Angela gave a gentle smile to indicate that she was teasing. She knew Gabriel had his ways of staying in touch with the going on of things and often without people knowing what he was up to.

“Someone’s gotta make sure you stay out of trouble, Cat,” Gabriel replied with his signature smirk. He took in her appearance and it looked like she hadn’t put much stock in her appearance at the moment. Her face had dirt and blood streaks and there was a dried trail coming from her nose. She was seriously in a bad place at the moment. He gave a slight sigh and took a few steps forward to close the distance between them. “Cat, I know your idea to get the deal failed so that leaves you one option and I know it’s one that probably has you in knots.”

Angela studied Gabriel for a moment. She took in the hazel eyes that always looked at her as if she were the best thing since the invention of… well whatever Gabriel decided was the best thing. She gave him a knowing look and said, “So you know about my plan?”

“Why don’t you lay it out for me? You can do that for me right?” Gabriel peered at her hoping that he didn’t have to beg. Instead he opted for the one thing that got her to consider. “Please?”

Angela took a deep breath. Gabriel knew everything about the past since he was there. “I am going to get Dean. I am going to hell.”

“I figured that,” Gabriel replied as he gave a slight frown. “When plan A didn’t pan out, I figured you would go with plan B. You always were one to think three steps ahead. Makes me regret sometimes teaching you chess but I’m glad I did.” He slowly reached out to touch her on her cheek. He probably was risking exposure for what he was about to do but he felt that at least it would serve to make her feel a little better.

Angela felt Gabriel’s touch and the warmth from his grace. She had forgotten how warm it was; like the tickle of warm water. It was playful just like Gabriel’s nature. To touch an angel’s grace was a privilege. She replied as she took in the warmth, “You taught me to anticipate.”

Gabriel studied her as he let his grace flow to touch her. He never let anyone touch his grace like this. He used his thumb to stroke her cheek gently as he finished. He let his grace recede as he withdrew his hand. He replied, “Sometimes I regret making you grow up so fast.” He looked at her.

Any traces of blood and injury were gone from her appearance. Angela looked at Gabriel and replied, “It wasn’t your fault about the last time.”

Now the door was open. Gabriel didn’t want to do this but he had to know why. “Then why are you going back Cat? I know what they did to you down there and what you were made to do. If you go back…”

“I know Gabe,” Angela replied. “But I know the paths down there.”

“But why?” Gabriel cradled the right side of her neck with his hand. “Cat, please tell me.”

“I am rescuing Dean,” Angela replied. She studied the intense expression that Gabriel was giving her. They were always honest with each other about things. He could read her like a book; the kind of thing an older sibling would do with a younger sibling. She put her hand to touch Gabriel’s extended forearm. “I want to make up for failure Gabe… and for Sam.”

Gabriel studied the expression that filtered into Angela’s eyes. He could see the truth. He noticed it when he first saw them in Lakota and then observed the little things. It was one sided right now and it looked like his Cat realized a few things sooner than Sammy boy did. He knew why now and he was rather happy about it.

For a long time his Cat had denied herself anything for herself. Even when she got close to people when she helped them out, she didn’t do the one thing that in a way protected her all these years. She finally opened up her heart. He nodded and replied, “You know I don’t want to see you hurt Cat.” He lowered his hand feeling her hand slide along his.

“But it is something I have to do. I need to do it.”

Gabriel studied her. “I take it that you are going to open a hell gate?”

Angela nodded, “Yes and I intend to create a hot spot to open one right on ‘the site of the resting dead.’”

Gabriel knew about hot spots. So that was her game plan. She was going to create a hot spot around the aura of death that surrounded Dean. He had been killed by a hellhound and that left its mark. She was brilliant in that regard. She would use death to open a hell’s gate right wherever they planted Dean and literally jump into the pit. “So you are going to make a hot spot and use it to get to the pit?”

“Yes and this time I won’t be helpless. I will have Absolution with me.” Angela looked at Gabriel with a look of determination. He had that way about him that made her want to stand strong and defiant in light of destiny and all that stuff he encouraged her to rebel against. They did use to be thick as thieves when they hunted together. “I have everything I need… just one last thing.”

Gabriel nodded. “When do we go?”

Angela looked at Gabriel after she glanced back at the house. She knew that Gabriel would make himself invisible and it looked like she would be talking to herself. He could also make it so that no one saw them as they talked. He had a hundred and one different ways of carrying on a conversation. When she heard him though, she frowned and looked at him. “What?”

“Did you think I was going to let you go by yourself?” Gabriel gave his usual smirk at her. “Face it Cat, your hell pet is not a hundred percent and you’re gonna need someone to get Deano back into his body.”

“Whatever happened to your witness protection program?”

“I need some entertainment and it’s been awhile since I went up against a few pit bulls,” Gabriel replied making a bad joke about hellhounds.

It worked since Angela gave a slight chuckle. “That was really bad. Even Cerebus thinks so, don’t ya boy?”

Cerebus gave a slight moan. Angela smiled and turned towards Gabriel and added, “Seriously though, I thought you wanted to remain anonymous?”

“Cat, I won’t let you go by yourself on this one. You want the honest truth, I never forgave myself for looking away that one moment. It took forever to find you and when I did, I thought you were gone.”

“Luck maybe that I’m still here?”

“You know there’s no such thing as far as you’re concerned,” Gabriel countered. “So when do we go?”

“As soon as the last piece is in place,” Angela replied automatically. She knew that Gabriel wasn’t going to leave her hanging in the breeze. It took a lot for him to admit that he still felt guilty about the last time she was there. As far as she could tell, he rescued her when she needed it. She was in the middle of escape and nearly about to be ripped to shreds when he found her. She found that it would be better if he did. “I don’t think Sam would appreciate you being there though.”

“Don’t worry about Sammy. In fact if he sees you pop the gate, it will only be you.” Gabriel had his own reasons. He wasn’t going to let Sam try to take him out since he was guilty of a few things that so far he hoped Cat hadn’t figure out yet. “I gotta take care of a few things. Make sure certain people aren’t watching.”

“You know how to find me mio fratello,” Angela replied. She smiled long after Gabriel had gone before going back to making sure everything was ready. She rubbed her forehead trying to clear her thoughts. _I hope this works._

****

_The screams were high and shrill. The light was flashing. Their faces… All of the senses were alive._

_The rack was as she remembered. The chains and the hooks… Then there was the smell of sulfur. It was overwhelming._

_Dean was on the last one. The lights were flashing and the screams were loudest. Standing beside him was something ugly and nasty. She knew that shape all too well._

_“Somebody help me! Sam! Angie! SAM!”_

_The figure raised a familiar object. It was twisted and sinister. It then plunged. All that was left were the sounds of Dean screaming._

****

Angela chewed on her knuckle as she sat on the trunk of the Camaro. They were going to head out soon but not soon enough. She had everything but she was stuck because there was one last thing. She was counting on the fact that Sam would be persistent as he was when she died and if she had to, she would throw in her Romani rites. That wasn’t what had her chewing her knuckle though.

She could hear the screams. She wasn’t even in the pit yet and she could hear the screams. They were Dean’s screams along with the other thousands of souls being tormented. Tartarus wasn’t that bad since it was considered justice. That corner where Dean was… it was a place reserved for the sadistics and its chief architect was the grand master.

She had only closed her eyes for a brief moment and she saw it. She didn’t think that it was one of her connections things that she could do. She was assuming that it was a combination of the fact that Dean was gone and she was remembering that place where the fires burned colder and hotter than could be imagined. She was certain that she was just putting two and two together and making five but that didn’t explain why she was chewing her knuckle.

The screams were real. Deep down she knew that she was witnessing Dean’s suffering and it only served to make her more anxious to get going. Originally she planned to take Cerebus since he would be back in his own territory and they were a formidable team. Since he was injured though, it would be cruel to take him. It wasn’t luck though that had Gabriel show up when he did. Now he was going with and it made her feel better but she still felt like hell because she hadn’t even talked to Sam yet.

She was to get that chance when he tapped her shoulder. Unfortunately it caused her to jump and leap off the trunk. She pulled her knife and held it out ready to strike.

“It’s me Angie.”

Angela took in a few breaths making sure she didn’t make herself hyperventilate. Calming down she flipped her knife and put it back and muttered, “Sorry Sam. Just a little…” She didn’t look at him but stared off into the night that was going to become daylight in a few hours.

Sam frowned, feeling hurt for some reason. He hadn’t spoken to her since they started on their plan to gank Lilith and certainly not after Dean became a hellhound’s chew toy. He felt bad for that since he was sure that she was hurting. He hadn’t missed the fact that she and Dean were close in their own way; he had seen her cry.

Now she wasn’t even looking at him. The last time she did that she was trying to cover Dean’s attempt at hiding the fact that he made a deal when he died. It was one of those times that he wasn’t sure of what she was thinking. He was out here because he made a promise to Dean and Bobby sort of told him to do something about it. So now he was out here and wasn’t sure of what to do. He went with the simplest question, “Um… How are you doing?”

Angela looked down at her hands. She noticed that they were no longer covered in blood. She wasn’t even aware if she actually washed up or anything. It then occurred to her that Gabriel had something to do with it. She had forgotten the couple of times he had healed her injuries and she felt his grace at work. He must have cleaned her up since he knew that she wasn’t going to be paying attention for a while. That was so like him.

Realizing that Sam was waiting for an answer, she wiped her hands down and replied, “As well as can be.”

“Being polite again?”

Angela knew that Sam didn’t buy her answer one bit. She really wanted to say something but she just wasn’t sure of how to say it. Sam knew when she said something just to be polite because she didn’t want to reveal her true feelings or thoughts. Dean called it the bull shitter response. Most of the time it pissed them off and yet she kept doing it. The reasons why? She wasn’t sure of.

Sighing Angela looked back up but still avoided looking at Sam and replied, “Just thinking about… what happened.” She looked up at the sky briefly and then said, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“Just apologizing. That’s twice I’ve fucked up big time.”

Sam frowned at her. Did she think this was all her fault? “Angie, this wasn’t your fault.”

“Yeah it is Sam. I said it before that I screwed Dean royally when he made the deal and I didn’t even bother to talk him out of it. So I go in with a half-baked idea and I wasn’t fast enough with the incantation. So it is my fault.”

Sam wasn’t sure what she was talking about but he knew she still felt that she screwed Dean with the stipulation she made. He could understand that was made in a fit of anger and desperation. The other half, he wasn’t sure of. “What do you mean? That stunt you pulled with the doppelganger?”

“I figured that Lilith would probably change a few things and I just had to make sure. I got my answer and went for the plunge.”

Thoroughly puzzled, Sam decided to nip it in the bud. She was telling him something and she was not on the same page as he was. Something was agitating her and he wasn’t sure if it was grief talking or she was losing her marbles. Knowing that he was risking getting into a confrontation, he slowly gripped one of her upper arms and turned her to face him.

Of course she kept her eyes averted and he was at a loss of how to get past that. He decided to just speak, “Angie, what are you talking about? All I know is that you tried to bargain with Lilith for something before that. Were you really going to do a trade?”

Was she? Angela knew that Lilith wanted something and she wanted something. It was half-baked in her mind but she knew that she could pull it off. Sighing but still keeping her eyes averted, she replied, “Yes. Lilith had something I wanted and I had something she wanted.” She took a breath and went in for the plunge, “I was going to trade myself for Dean’s deal.”

Sam frowned as her response computed in his brain. What? “What? You were going to do a trade? After everything you and Dean were arguing about; going in and doing it smart… Were you just lying?”

“No. I needed to get close to Lilith.”

“Angie, please, start from the top and don’t take any side trips. What were you planning on doing?” Sam gripped her upper arms in an attempt to keep her from running away. He knew she could escape if she wanted to and she was more than capable. He just wanted her to see that he wanted to know what she had been up to.

“The trade was a ruse for me to get close to Lilith so I could use a sigil of transfer to steal Dean’s contract.” Angela paused and finally looked up at Sam. She wasn’t sure about the expression on his face but she knew that he wouldn’t understand unless she explained completely. “I was going to steal Dean’s contract and change the conditions so he would be set free without putting you at risk. I was going to use my rights as a broker, Sam; become a dealing devil as the phrase goes.”

“You were…?” Sam frowned as he let her go. At least she was looking at him now. She wasn’t looking happy that she was telling him this.

“It was a scenario that I developed over months. I learned that there was a way to steal a contract and make it my own and hence do whatever I want within the acceptable rules of deal making. I had to learn the intricacies of deal making in order to make sure I didn’t screw you both royally.” Angela paused and looked down. She rubbed her hands together as if she were trying to clean them even though nothing was on them. “It was not sure fire but one of the better options since I couldn’t find too much wrong about it…”

“Except the part where you actually have to face Lilith,” Sam interrupted. “When did you come up with this? Before or after you learned that Lilith was after you?”

“After Monument.” Angela watched as Sam scoffed and began pacing in agitation. “Sam, I’ve been in similar situations before. One of the best ways I know how to fight was not to wait until the sonofabitch comes to you but to go after the sonofabitch. It forces them to play their hand.”

“This isn’t a game Angie,” Sam countered. He wasn’t sure if he was angry that she never said anything until now or if he was glad that it didn’t work because he remembered Tiamat very well. “You’re playing with fire…”

“I know that Sam,” Angela replied softly. She knew that it would infuriate him being nonreactive but what was she going to do? Shouting didn’t really serve a purpose. “It was that or make Dean like me, or rather like Augie, and both options he shot down.”

Sam paused. “Dean knew?”

“It was his life Sam. Ultimately I would respect his choices and he knew that.” Angela rubbed where Sam had gripped her arms. “The whole thing with the doppelganger and the like, I didn’t listen to his request and went in anyway. The deal was an on the fly move.”

“And if Lilith accepted?”

“I would have gotten out and with the deal.” Angela paused a moment to consider how that sounded. She then said, “I’m a survivor, Sam. The places I’ve been taught me a few things that I don’t like to use unless I absolutely have to. I did what I thought was the right thing and found that I wasn’t strong enough. I didn’t finish the transfer and now we’re here.” She looked at her hands and noticed the slight red from where she had been chewing on her knuckle. At least the skin hadn’t broken but what did that matter?

Sam looked at Angela. She looked defeated almost as she looked at her hands. It pissed him off that she didn’t bring him into this but for some odd reason, he was glad she told someone like Dean. It answered questions about the pointed way he would look at her before this. He just had to know though. “Why didn’t you say anything? We could’ve helped.”

“Would you if you knew what I would have to become in order for it to work?”

_She could turn into someone that is not the person we know._

Sam said nothing more as he stood there staring at her. He knew now what Dean had meant. Would they really have helped? It was a hard question to answer.


	13. Chapter 13

“There is only one option Absolution would take if she wants her pet back.”

Faisal tried not to twitch his mouth at the manner in which the stranger he was meeting was talking. He took in the raised hood and the hidden face and replied, “Enlighten me since you seem to know a lot about her.”

“I know a lot of things Vampire as well as you. It is just amusing and surprising that you have to summon someone like me to tell you these things. I thought one of your age would have a few sources.” The stranger made a slight sneer but it was hidden by his hood. At least his tone conveyed his attitude.

Faisal bristled at that. He did know things but there was the occasional thing that he didn’t know and he had to go to outside sources. He replied, “I do and you’re one of them though I detest having to do it and with someone like you.”

“That has me surprised. Whatever happened to your fine feathered friend, the Messenger?”

The tone was mocking and Faisal knew it. However because he knew Gabriel, he was going to have to find out through different means. He could do it since he had done it before. He replied, “We are hardly friends.”

“You must be since he hasn’t had the nerve to smite you just yet. Though I would, considering the last time you two had an altercation.”

Faisal stared at the stranger. “He doesn’t understand that everything has its place.”

“Yes, yes, the whole natural order thing you are so devoted to. Did it ever occur to you that it will happen regardless?”

Faisal looked at the stranger. He could see the slight glow of the eyes even though the hood was pulled over. He narrowed his eyes slightly. “Things will happen as they are supposed to but when someone decides to change the game, it must be avoided.”

“Ah yes your spiel on destiny. Tell me, how did the Messenger take to that?”

Faisal gave a slight look. The grapevine was in full force since who didn’t know about the earthquake of… was it 1675? He couldn’t remember but it was rather memorable because in the end she showed that fine temper and Gabriel was shot down completely. The angel interfered way too much then. He replied, “You know about that.”

“Of course. That was one story that is true from the grapevine.”

“And many others are complete lies or partial truths. Now do you have any idea what Absolution would try now that her initial plan failed?”

The stranger in the hood moved his head in an inquisitive fashion. The vampire must have some idea but his closest source would be the Messenger. So if the Messenger was involved, that meant the vampire needed someone who could predict what the Messenger would do. “I would ask how well you know Absolution. Most seem to know her tendencies and she is of your kind.”

“Doesn’t mean that I know her. I know of her.” Faisal looked away as if he were above his informant.

“Maybe you should’ve gone to someone who knows her just like the Messenger?”

The voice was taunting and it irritated Faisal. He knew that he could have gone to other sources but there was one thing that he hadn’t anticipated on. The loyalty even by the lowlifes of the other side was unbelievable. “That didn’t pan out the way I like things to.” He was aware that it came out like a pout.

The stranger chuckled at the situation. It was rather funny. “So you couldn’t even get a word out of the worm Cary?” He noted the expression on Faisal’s face and took a twisted pleasure in the fact that one of the oldest vampires and one reputed in shady deals couldn’t even get a lower than low demon to talk. Then again… “Don’t worry about it. He fed Tiamat and Lilith nothing but bullshit. Surprising at such loyalty.”

It was surprising indeed, Faisal mused to himself. When he talked to the demon, the asshat indulged in idle chit chat but it was hard to tell which was the bullshit and which was the truth. The worm was a demon and he was loyal to Absolution. How was she able to achieve such a feat? He replied, “It is surprising. Then again such worms deal in information and the deal wasn’t in the best interest of the informant.”

“Bah, you and I know that Cary won’t give anything away. It has us baffled too,” the stranger replied. “Makes us wonder if that was how she ensnared the Winchesters.”

Faisal made a slight movement with his head. That thought had occurred him but when he observed her from afar once he caught wind of her again… He noticed that it was different, especially with the taller of the two she traveled with. “No, such persuasion is wasted upon humans such as them. An asset like Cary is more valuable to the talents.”

“Keep telling yourself like that.” The stranger looked at Faisal and his tone still maintained its mocking tones. “I know you saw her in action. She has a special attachment to them and the reaction that occurs when it is exploited in the wrong manner… priceless.”

Faisal couldn’t deny it. He had observed her interaction between the two Winchesters. It was her relationship with the younger of the two that held his interest. He noticed how they would interact and he wondered if there was something more to it. It gave credence to the fact that she had a weakness. “Of course weaknesses can be exploited but that doesn’t explain her next move.”

“You said it yourself. Weaknesses can be exploited.” The stranger shrugged his shoulders. He was about to walk away when he decided to play a hand. “It’s no secret that the Winchesters are her weakness. One is dead. What would she do?”

Faisal thought about it some. If she failed in saving him from dying, the next step would be to bring him back and if he knew her, it would be right away. “She would try to bring him back.”

“Ah yes and there is the celebrated genius that is celebrated amongst your kind,” the hooded stranger mocked. “It’s no wonder Lilith allowed you to live the last time you showed your face and of course Tiamat underestimated you.”

Faisal narrowed his eyes but the cool demeanor he adopted didn’t change. He replied, “I may know what she is going to do but the way to do it remains elusive.” He was well aware of the old ways that were hardly in use. He figured she would go with the more direct approach and use a hell’s gate. That would be what he would do. “The most obvious would be a hell’s gate.”

“That would be the choice now would it. Considering the fact that a more direct approach requires a certain heavenly approach, a hell’s gate is much easier.”

“Don’t be a smartass,” Faisal replied adopting the crude nature of humans and insults. So if she was planning on going, then he had work to do. “A large amount of energy would be needed to open one.”

“Obviously.”

Faisal looked at the stranger. Gabriel most likely knew the whole plan and would be going. If that were the case, he would make sure that he didn’t have a clue. Faisal studied the stranger and made a decision. “In that case, we have work to do.”

“And what is going on in that head of yours?”

“Doing what I have to do.”

****

Haley wiped her eyes as she sat in the car waiting for Aaron to finish gassing up. She knew that it happened. The spirits told her and of course she heard the sound of the hounds. They weren’t in the neighborhood but with the right mojo, and a little amp boost from Aaron, she was able to tell that what she dreaded happening had happened. Dean Winchester was dead.

Thinking about it, Haley thought that maybe she shouldn’t have tried to warn Dean about the consequences of Angela chasing the demon. It seemed that he already knew it and was just humoring her. It vaguely occurred to her that maybe she might have sapped his hopes by doing that. Angela would have told him her idea and then to hear a possibility… that could bring anyone down.

Haley had heard of the stories of hell. Her grandfather used to tell her those stories as well as the other children as more of a moral tale about what happened to evil souls. Later she learned that there were good people who ended up making a bad choice like a deal and were sent to the pit. They were tortured and the pit burnt out their humanity and they became demons. It was a harsh reality to learn at the age she did when she saw a childhood friend become possessed. He nearly killed an entire family before he was exorcised and she was there. It was then that her grandfather told her the truth.

After that she was shipped off to live with her mother. For what reason no one gave her and she never dared to question. She was raised with her mother’s people and in turn was entrusted with her duty and that led to the falling out with Gen and then that business in Lakota and she met Dean. It was that moment she realized a few things.

In Dean she saw a kindred spirit. They both had heavy burdens and while she didn’t have a younger sibling that was her responsibility, she understood the toll burdens of secrets and duty had on a person. She made choices that ultimately cost her a friendship and time in a slight downward spiral and a life of hiding. That was why she said she wasn’t one to judge when she met Dean and he told her about a choice that would ultimately cost him his life.

While it was clichéd in that she was the one to rescue him when he was trapped in the pool under the cage, it sparked something between them. Obvious attraction aside, they were connected in a way that was considered rare. It was more than the sex and fun times and they respected and admired each other. It took her a little longer to realize that she did have deep seated feelings that would be considered love.

Being what they were, they recognized that they had to go their separate ways. As much as it would have been nice to set down roots somewhere and have Dean come on over or vice versa, it just wasn’t in the cards at that point. They both knew it and Haley knew that mostly it was the concern over Dean’s deal. It was why she offered suggestions and tips of witches and warlocks and others who might know a thing or two about deals.

Now that the deed had been done, Haley was faced with the dilemma of what to do next. She was half tempted to call Sam and ask if he needed any help. He wouldn’t be rude about it but she had observed him long enough during the tournament to know that he would try to tough things out. The best approach would be to just ask if she could come. He wouldn’t refuse her or anything since he wasn’t callous and he must have suspected something to the relationship between her and his brother.

She was astute to know that Angela would do the next thing. Of course she couldn’t tell Sam that the reason she wanted to be there aside from helping to bury Dean was to talk to Angela about her plans. More likely he had no idea about it. She looked to see Aaron pumping in the last of the gas as she pulled out her cell phone. She opened up the address book and looked at the list of numbers. Deciding on one, she pushed the dial and listened for the telltale sound of it being picked up.

_Hello?_

“Hi, it’s me.”

_Me who?_

“Bobby, it’s me Haley. I—I just want to see what is going on.” Haley looked out the window. She then added, “You don’t have to be secretive. I know what happened.”

_That can be expected from a witch._

Haley could understand why Angela liked the grizzled hunter. She liked him too after they were introduced in Texas. The hunter had been surprised that Dean had been involved with a witch and a good witch at that. It was a funny moment when Angela and Dean said that there was such a thing as good witches and they didn’t do the crap that badass ones did to make people’s lives miserable. It was a different kettle of fish though when she revealed she was Lwazi’s granddaughter. She replied, “Yeah that juju I know really tells me things.” She gave a slight sigh and added, “I’m really sorry though. How is Sam?”

_Doing as well as can be expected._

“And Angie?”

_… She’s holding up…_

“Meaning that she is up to something,” Haley clarified. “It’s okay to tell me. My guess is that she is planning something that involves going to the pit.”

_And how do ya know about that? Your loa spirits?_

“It’s what I would do. I was hoping that she would ask me for help but I guess she asked you and had a plan right?”

_You can say that._

Haley nodded in confirmation. So her friend was going to do it. Maybe she could give a hand. “Maybe I can help. I am guessing that she is waiting until Dean is buried?”

_Something like that. She said something about needing the resting place of the dead. She said that it would take her right to where Dean is._

Haley thought about it. Even the dead cast auras that could be used if they were killed by supernatural means. She had a vague idea about what the girl was planning. Maybe she could lend a hand in maintaining stability and that sort of thing. It was going to be hard enough with one person. Maybe two might help but she had to be sure. “She’s making a hot spot isn’t she?”

_I’m not even gonna guess how you came to that but yeah. Damn idjit girl made me promise and…_

Haley gave a slight smile. “And I’m guessing Sam doesn’t know.” The pause was hardly telltale but it said enough. Haley continued, “If that is the case then that would make my involvement difficult. I can help with this.”

_Why?_

Haley paused a moment to think about it. She knew that Bobby would wait to hear her answer. Why did she want to help? She took a breath and replied, “For Dean.”

_Hmm. Alright. If ya have a computer, you can track the GPS in my phone. We’re leaving soon so…_

“Thanks Bobby,” Haley replied as she pulled out the laptop that was kept in the front seat. She learned a few things the past few months and some of what she could do naturally scared her but it sure was handy.

****

Angela contemplated the site that was chosen. It was in the middle of nowhere, just the way it has always been for hunters. Looking at it she was reminded of the last lines from that Martin Scorsese film _Gangs of New York_ about the passage of time and how in the grand scheme of things, the little things get overlooked or something like that. That pretty much was the way of hunters.

Being what she was, she could see the passage of time done on the markers and other things. The places she had been to with the strays she picked up along the way, she occasionally went back to check on them and make sure that they were taken care of. It was often strange to see the markers she put up taken care of and they were surrounded by badly dilapidated markers. Things were only as important as you made them to be.

She took a breath and continued to dig the hole. She took it upon herself to dig while Sam and Bobby were arguing over whether or not to salt and burn Dean’s remains. It was a no brainer to her that Dean was going to be stuck in the box and buried. He was going to need a body when she got him out and that was pretty hard to do when you salt and burned someone. He heard it had been a pain in the ass for someone trying to do that. Well it was a story but that was the point.

Besides, the ritual to return a soul to the world of the living did require a body and… What was she thinking? Gabriel said he could do it with whatever angel mojo he had to do it with. He would be able to put Dean back in his body and repair the damage from the hellhound. That would be part of the reason why he volunteered to go with her into the pit besides the obvious fact that she was still scared about going back. That wasn’t going to change but at least she would have company.

“Bobby, Dean’s gonna need a body when I get him out,” Sam said. He turned on the puppy eyes to try and get the grizzled hunter to see reason.

Bobby knew that a whole body would be needed especially since Angela was dead set on going to the pit. She didn’t actually say it but he figured that she would need it to be so. It was still stuck in his mind though that because Dean was a hunter, he got the hunter’s burial. He turned to ask Angela her opinion and saw that she was busy digging a hole. “Angie, what are ya doing?”

“Digging a hole,” the answer came in a deadpanned voice.

Sam looked over and noticed that she was digging. She had gotten a fair amount of work done and he felt rather guilty that she was doing all the work. “Need some help?”

Angela paused and looked back at the two looking at the two hunters. She looked at the ground and then at the shovel in her hands. She had one other but it was smaller and she could work with that until she got frustrated and dug with her hands. She tossed Sam the shovel and jumped out of the hole saying, “Take this one. I got another in the trunk.”

Bobby watched with a raised brow as she walked over and popped the trunk of the Camaro and pulled out one of those short shovels. He figured that she would just get to work and let him and Sam argue. “I’m guessing yer dead set on a burial?”

“Burning flesh makes me sick,” Angela replied, reminding Bobby of what she mentioned a year ago. She also gave a speaking glance at the grizzled hunter about her intentions. “Besides, there is more than one way to protect the dead.” She shrugged her shoulders and jumped into the hole and began digging along with Sam.

It went faster as Sam and Angela dug the hole for the coffin. Sam looked over at Angela who managed to look fairly clean even though she was digging in the dirt. She was deep in thought and figured that she was going on full automatic. Digging a hole wasn’t exactly brain surgery. More likely she was just being alone with her thoughts since they really hadn’t talked at all since they got there.

“Silence can be deafening when thoughts are louder than church bells.”

Sam looked over at Angela who was leaning on her shovel. At least it wasn’t one of those camping shovels. That would seriously look ridiculous and awkward for her. He replied, “Am I that bad?”

Angela shrugged her shoulders and started digging again, “Maybe it’s me. I don’t pay too much attention on something that doesn’t require a whole lot of thought. So maybe they’re mine.”

Sam paused a moment. He then said, “Thanks… for seeing my side.”

 _More like it was logical_ , Angela thought but kept it to herself. Instead she replied, “As I said, there is more than one way to protect the dead.” She wiped the sweat off her brow and took a moment to breath in the smell of damp earth.

It was weird but there was something about damp earth that appealed to her. Sure it brought back memory lane from the case at the Point but she had good memories of damp earth. She knew her quirks and they could be considered weird. To hell with what others thought. Anything to stay rooted to the world of the living when faced with eternity.

“Why don’t you do salt and burns for…?”

Angela paused and looked at Sam who was staring at her. She glanced at the hole. It was deep enough to put in the box. She tossed out her shovel with precision and replied as she heaved herself out, “The smell makes me sick. It goes back to a long time ago during a few wars or so.”

Sam could buy that. She once said that she was a nurse one during a war or two. She probably had been on battlefields and the like. He could hardly imagine how that looked. “I can see how that would make you not like it.” He tossed his shovel out and was surprised when she offered him a hand.

Angela held out her hand and waited. When he gripped her wrist, she gripped his and held on as he pulled himself up. “Well wars contributed to it but when smallpox invaded the tribes… I really couldn’t do it especially since a few of them were hunters too.”

“So what do you do?” Sam was genuinely curious about what she did for the dead. She never had a problem with salting and burning remains like bones.

Angela helped Sam and Bobby with the box. It would have been easy for just her and Sam to do it since she had her He-Man strength that Dean constantly teased her about. She was astute and sensitive enough though to know that some things needed to be done for necessity’s sake and peace of mind. She answered Sam’s question, “I have a few rituals from our good friends the Romani. Harman gave them to me and I use them.” She paused a moment as she jumped in the hole to receive the box. “I used them for Andy and the others. No one messes with Romani magic. It’s like messing with a PMSing witch.”

That made some sense. Sam replied, “So this will protect Dean until we get him back?” He held out his hand to help her up once the box was in. He was already thinking of means to get his brother back.

Angela studied him while hiding her thoughts as he helped her out. She should say something about that but should she give away what she was trying to do? She had no idea how he would take the idea of her going and leaving him behind. She replied, “It will keep anyone attempting to mess with his remains out.” It was a careful response.

She pulled out the notebook that she had tucked in her jacket pocket. It was badly tattered but she always wrote down things of importance and it helped when she couldn’t remember them. She was aware that Sam was staring at her and pointedly ignored it as she found the rite and began reciting it in the proper form. She would have to carefully word her warning against involvement in bringing Dean back but she knew Sam well and he would fight her. Maybe it was right since if he knew the truth…

She paused a moment when she noticed Haley and her bodyguard come up. She made a slight frown but it disappeared. Haley had a right since she had a thing for Dean. How she knew though was a question to be answered for later.


	14. Chapter 14

“So why did you come Haley?”

Haley studied the tired form that was known as Absolution to many but Angela to her friends. She didn’t want to drag Bobby into this so she was going to wrack her brains on this one. At least they were in a place that wasn’t going to attract attention as far as seedy motels went. She replied, “I know what happened to Dean.”

“I know you know about the deal Hale,” Angela replied a little short tempered from lack of sleep. She hadn’t slept since the night Dean died and the images of Dean being tortured and hearing his screams were getting worse. She hadn’t said anything to Sam or Bobby since they would think she was nuts. “Are you here because of something I intend to do?”

Haley stared a bit at Angela. There was no use lying. “I figured you might be trying something. I figured you could use some help; a bit of juju.”

Angela raised her brow at that. “Juju?”

Haley gave a knowing look, “You need someone to stabilize the gate once you get it open. Hot spots can make easily controllable situations uncontrollable.”

“I know that Hale which is why I made precautions,” Angela replied as she rubbed her forehead. The more time passed, the more chances of Dean getting tortured.

“Angie, it’s a two man job and you know it. Were you thinking of sneaking off in the middle of the night without so much as a good bye? How does that look?”

“There is such a thing as a note,” Angela replied with the slightest hint of sarcasm in her voice. Sometimes she got irritated when people presumed that she was stupid or something. She may make stupid choices but she always thought them through. Occasionally she got a little impulsive and that was only because something had meaning to her.

Haley narrowed her eyes at the utter ridiculousness of that. Sure she had notes left to her when Dean cut out when they were together but that was different. This was a matter of life and death. She replied, “Like that would go over well with Sam.”

“Leave him out of this.”

“Are you planning to say, ‘Dear Sam, I’m going to hell but I can’t tell you because I have to do a macho act on my own.’? That is really pathetic even for you,” Haley retorted. Her words were heated but at that point she didn’t care.

“Shut up witch,” Angela replied as she felt her temper rise. “You don’t know anything. You weren’t fucking there. You don’t know anything.”

“I know that when you think you’ve failed, you push everyone worth something to you away and leave them with nothing but the memory of an Ice Bitch,” Haley retorted. She knew she was playing with fire since Angela was stronger and faster than her.

“And maybe that is for the best. I should have never interfered. In fact I should have never been born.” At that last remark, Angela turned and stomped away. She didn’t even notice that someone had overheard that last part of the conversation.

Haley took a couple of breaths and realized she had become just as angry. She couldn’t get why Angela felt the way she did. She would if the girl just opened up and say something but she seemed intent on pushing everyone away. There was a good thing standing beside her and it was like for his sake, she was doing everything she could to protect him from the secrets that she kept.

“You could take her place you know.”

Haley turned to see the vampire from before coming out of the shadows. “You’ve been tailing us?” It was habit to ask a question with a question. She also didn’t have to worry too much about Aaron since he was off on an errand; an excuse she had made to talk to Angela alone.

Faisal stepped out to look at the young witch. He had heard the conversation and while it was not expressly spoken, he could read between the lines. He replied, “I am an interested party. Absolution has become popular the last few days.”

Haley wasn’t in the mood for bullshit. “She’s been popular her whole existence. That’s nothing new.”

“I mean in that Lilith sent out a death warrant.”

“Again old news.” Haley crossed her arms across her chest. She really wasn’t impressed with the vampire and she was under the sneaking suspicion that she had been used.

Faisal sighed. So he was going to have to be specific in his delivery now. Well here it goes, “Then you know that with the failed attempt Absolution is going to attempt the next obvious and that is to pay a visit to hell itself.”

“You must be a genius since you overheard the conversation,” Haley spat back. She really didn’t have time for guessing games and there wasn’t much time until nightfall when she was certain that Angela was going to act.

“You could do it yourself. Go in her place.”

“And deny her the pleasure of ass kicking a couple of demons to get back her brother? Hell no,” Haley replied. She had to admit though that the idea was tantalizing but she had heard the stories.

Faisal didn’t miss the look of interest. Perhaps he could play on something more personal. He just had to find it. “I think you’d be stronger. They wouldn’t be expecting someone who knows more than parlor tricks with juju.”

“And flattery gets you nowhere,” Haley countered. She was proud of her abilities since before they did diddly squat. She didn’t like to abuse them and during her time in hiding, to use them would be to put a flashing neon sign over her head. Now she learned to control them and Aaron was more or less guardian of her virtue.

Faisal shrugged his shoulders. So flattery didn’t work; it was touch and feel with this kind of thing. So maybe it was better to be bluntly honest. “Then I’ll lay it out for you. Absolution isn’t ready to go back.”

“You say that like you know her. You don’t. She won’t let someone go if she thinks she can handle it,” Haley replied with a slight shake of her head.

“That’s the problem. She thinks she can when in truth that is where her downfall lies,” Faisal replied. “She is not ready to make the hard decisions that will be required of her down there. You are.”

“Appealing to my vanity flaws won’t get you anywhere,” Haley replied in the warning tones she near perfected being on the road. “Why do you say she isn’t ready to go back? You make it sound like she’s been there before.”

“She has,” Faisal replied. He learned a lot from his conversations and better to have it.

“Then she would be the perfect choice to go back. She would know the ins and outs. It’s not rocket science.” Haley wondered what this vampire was getting at. It was like he was playing upon her concern for a friend’s welfare to get her to do something. She didn’t like it but it was in her nature to find out what the guy wanted. Call it her downfall.

“The last time was not by choice.”

Haley took a moment to let it sink in. It sort of made sense as to why Angela was in the mindset that she alone had to do it. Yet that didn’t explain why she wasn’t even going to tell Sam of all people. Bobby knew of course since that relationship was the father-daughter relationship that even Angela wouldn’t violate. She was probably going to open up a can of worms with this but she had to know, “What do you mean by that?”

Faisal knew that he had the girl hooked. “Some people are just too tempting to resist and in the end traps are set and their idea of fun begin.” He was being deliberately vague but it would serve his purposes just fine. He knew she would figure it out anyway. “Such an experience can leave a mark of shame and anger.” He left the end hanging suggestively.

Haley knew what the game was. If it was true that Angela had been to the pit before and against her will… She knew what they would do to Dean or better yet were doing. The whole thing with shame? That implied that Angela was ashamed of that time and Haley wasn’t a blind idiot. Sam cared about her more than he realized. “So she knows what happens there.”

“She isn’t ready to go back,” Faisal repeated. “It could kill her in the end.”

“Nice of you to go all doom and gloom on me,” Haley retorted. She had to think about this and ask the right people. She really didn’t trust this vampire one bit. “You may think so but I think she is Dean’s best chance at getting back. There isn’t anything she wouldn’t do for him.”

“It isn’t the same as she would do for someone else.”

Haley narrowed her eyes in that dangerous manner of hers. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“I know things as well as you, Witch. Some things are easier to spot because it is easier to observe others than one’s own self.” Faisal saw the dangerous look but he wasn’t perturbed by it. He had dealt with worse. “The greatest strength to survival in places like the pit is not how much you know but the force that drives you. Absolution may have a motivation but it isn’t strong enough especially for what is to come.” He put his hands behind him as in the at ease position. He studied the witch who was glaring at him full on.

There were few things that made Haley extremely angry. One was the fact that someone made digs at friends and implying that they were weak. She knew that Angela had perfect motivation. She loved Dean and it was in the family way and Dean returned the affection wholeheartedly. Haley saw that few people were ever allowed to show certain displays of affection with the man and even she wasn’t included in on a few of those.

Yet it bothered her that this vampire knew things. It was like he expected Angela to fail. It didn’t sit right with her and it made her angry. “Angie is strong even when scared and hell I don’t know if anyone can tell but she can get the job done.”

Faisal looked at the girl. He was amazed at the amount of faith humans had in Absolution. He wondered how Absolution herself felt about it. At the moment though, he knew that she wouldn’t survive the pit. Not at this time. “How do you know that? A brother-sister bond may shine light but it is not as strong as something even closer.”

“She’ll do it.”

“If you say so,” and Faisal turned to walk away. He planted the idea and now it was time to implement the action. The rest would follow.

****

Sam couldn’t sleep. It would have been easy to take off after burying Dean to go find the means to bring him back. The most obvious was a deal but that was in the realm of being martyrs; what Dean had talked about. He couldn’t do that. There was the usual asking Bobby to look around and maybe the Devil’s Gate.

_Someone has to do it. And you’re not going to please everybody …_

Something about that bothered him. So far Angela didn’t say or really do anything that would indicate she was planning something. He figured that he knew her pretty well by now and that if she was going to plan something, she would have given a sign of a few things.

_She’s good about a lot of things Sam but there are some things she’s still a baby in._

Sam stared at the ceiling of his room. It felt weird that he was in a one bed room. He kept glancing in the direction of the door as if that would make Dean appear on his bed either watching bad TV or eating his beloved pie or just sleeping.

_She’s still a baby…_

He didn’t understand why Dean felt the need to reiterate that to him. It seemed that Angela had learned a few things since they told her she was family. Yeah she made a few mistakes and he thought he understood her better. At least he thought so after she died and ended up being possessed by him. He couldn’t understand why Dean would say that.

As far as Sam knew, she could take care of herself. True he didn’t like it when she became the target of unwanted advances and she had taken care of that. He also did and on occasion Dean joined in. The only thing he could think of was how she was really feeling. He did see her cry in that house and she never cried.

_I really am an ass._

Sam was out of bed. There was no way he was getting any sleep tonight. Picking up his jacket, he figured a walk might help. It would wreak havoc on his ability to drive the Impala in the morning but maybe she might want to drive. She always seemed to be a peace when she drove even if she drove Dean crazy with her choice in music.

He stepped out his room making sure that he had the key and started in no particular direction. He looked around and found that the Camaro was nowhere in sight. He started to panic that it was gone thinking that she left him. He wouldn’t blame her but he was hoping that she could at least come to him and talk to him once she was ready to talk. He was aware that beside the panic, he felt hurt, extreme hurt.

A moan caught his attention. Sam looked down and saw Cerebus looking up at him with a set of mournful eyes. He frowned in surprise and confusion at the ability of the hell mutt to be walking since he had been impaled by a wooden stake earlier. “What are you doing out?”

Cerebus looked up at Sam. He had been left behind and he was feeling lonely. He decided to seek out his alpha’s alpha. He didn’t understand why she left him behind. She was hurting and her alpha was too. He gave a slight moan and mouthed Sam’s hand.

Sam responded by petting the dog on his head and pulling the ears gently. He replied, “Did she leave you behind?”

Cerebus gave a low harrumph. He knew Sam would figure it out. He bumped Sam’s leg and tugged on his pants gently.

Sam petted Cerebus again. She wouldn’t leave the hell mutt behind like that… unless she was going to do something stupid. The very thought of it had him worried. He lost Dean and he wasn’t going to lose her. He had an idea and he hoped that Cerebus would be up to it. As it were the mutt was still sporting a bandage.

He was distracted by Cerebus putting one of his huge paws on his forearm and pulling as if to tug him down. Sam followed through and kneeled. It reminded him of the last time he actually touched a dog and just gently rubbing the hell mutt was comforting. He heard Cerebus whine and look at him with reproachful eyes. Sam couldn’t help but give a slight smirk. “You miss her don’t you?”

Sam chuckled at the look the mutt gave him. He had given that same look many times before and to see it on an actual dog, well a visible hellhound, it was pretty funny. He said, “Okay boy. How about we find her? Are you up to it?”

Cerebus was most certainly up to it. He had gotten a lead on the trail but he didn’t want to go alone. She needed her alpha and he didn’t understand why she wasn’t going to him. Well he would bring her alpha to her. He gave a bark of agreement and licked Sam’s face.

Sam made a slight face at the licking. At least the mutt’s breath didn’t stink which he thought strange. “Alright, alright. Let’s go find Angie and maybe stop her from doing whatever stupid thing she’s thinking of doing.” He stood back up and motioned and said, “Okay go do your thing.”

Cerebus looked at Sam with a curious expression. How could her alpha not know the words or the signal? He made a sort of disapproving noise.

Sam stared back at the mutt with the same expression. It became obvious that Cerebus was waiting for some sort of signal. How the heck was he supposed to know what that was? He knew he came when he was whistled for but that didn’t seem right. He then remembered when Angela got the mutt to get into the Impala and figured it was worth a try. He imitated the whistle as best as he could and made a gesture.

Cerebus stood up and panting like a happy dog he gave a bark and started sniffing the air. Sam raised a brow in surprise at what just happened before shaking his head. He figured the mutt was just messing with him like he did with Dean. Or maybe he was only trained to respond to whistles but Bobby never seemed to have a problem with that.

Cerebus seemed to keep up a good pace despite his injury. It made Sam wonder if he was just milking the attention but that sounded mean on his part. He had seen what happened and watched as the mutt literally drag himself towards Dean. Then again she was good at patching up injuries. So Sam followed him all the way to the Camaro which was parked on the side of the road not too far away from the motel.

Seeing it had Sam frown at the sight. There was no way that she would leave it like that. She had to be somewhere nearby. He had to wait for Cerebus’ cue though and watched as the mutt sniffed around the car. He lingered near the trunk for roughly a minute before starting off into the woods but not before giving a slight bark.

It wasn’t too far to go. In fact the clearing Angela was standing in was not even ten feet into the woods. Sam frowned both in worry and anger at foolishness. He felt vulnerable that he didn’t have a weapon even though Cerebus was sticking close to him. No offense to the hell mutt but Sam was used to having at least a switchblade in his jacket pocket.

As they got closer, Sam could hear her voice. It was low and eerily melodious as it rattled off words that sounded like babble. Getting closer, he spotted her kneeling with her hands folded in her lap as she continued to speak whatever it was she was saying. He took a look at the ground and recognized a few things that were used in rituals but he was unfamiliar with the layout.

Cerebus made a low moan. Sam motioned for him to be quiet. The next moment he looked, he saw Angela holding her knife. Was she pointing it at herself?

It was more reaction as Sam charged from the brush. He was almost to her when she drew it across her palm, flinching slightly and letting the drops fall on the ground on what was piled in front of her. “Angie, what are you doing?”

Angela turned to look at Sam approaching her. She was startled enough that her eyes glowed in reaction. What was he doing here? “Sam?” She frowned as she asked the question while the drops finished spilling.

Sam was breathing heavily as he looked at what she was kneeling over. It was a small bowl full of something and her blood was dripping into it. What was she doing? His first concern was her hand. It was the same one she had cut before back on their first case. He repeated, “What are you doing?”

Angela looked down at what she had been doing. She didn’t have much time now that she had mixed the compound. This was going to complicate things substantially. She had hoped that Cerebus would have stayed put but that damn mutt was smarter than she gave him credit for. He found a way out and low and behold found Sam. Now he was here. “Not now Sam,” was the only thing that came out and it came out not like it was intended.

Sam frowned incredulously at her as she picked up the bowl thing like it was nothing. “Yes right now,” he replied, “Are you trying to do a ritual?”

“Sam, not now.” Angela started walking away only to be stopped by a grip that was firm and tight but not crushing. It had a plea to it.

“And I say again yes, right now.” Sam brought her around so they were face to face. “What is this?”

“It’s part of a spell,” Angela replied knowing that Sam wouldn’t be satisfied unless he had some sort of answer.

“And that requires you to cut yourself? Are you trying to trade your soul for Dean’s?”

“How quick you come to such a conclusion,” Angela replied, not sure why she was being infuriating when it would have just been easy for her to tell him exactly what she was doing. “In order to create something, you need to give a part of yourself and it has to be something you wouldn’t part with so easily.”

“So what are you creating a monster or messing with something that could backfire on you? What?”

“What is it to you Sam? I mean why is what I do to maybe try to make things right so important for you to know? There are things out there that do work but such things come with a cost and as long as they’re considered…” Angela adjusted her grip on what was in her hands. At least Sam let her go so she could run if she had to.

Sam scoffed at that. She was being deliberately infuriating on purpose. He knew that and that meant she was hiding something. It was something big and maybe if he got her flustered enough she would spit it out. “Didn’t you learn anything after Sheridan?”

It was a breaking point. The tears started to fall silently as Angela took a couple of breaths. She replied, “I learned quite a bit Sam but I failed to learn the one lesson that keeps getting handed to me every time I break my rules.”

“And what is that supposed to mean? Being a bitch with everyone?”

“And it worked fine until you two came along. The living reminder that everything I touch gets ruined or dies. That’s right Sam. I’m like that stupid rabbit’s foot. Touch me and you might get lucky but in the end you get burned as well as me.” Angela paused a moment. She didn’t know what else to say but if she said anything it would break her and hurt Sam. “That’s why I should’ve stayed away. It was wrong for me to pursue our partnership.”

Sam was stunned into silence. She didn’t mean that. It couldn’t be that. Those tears that he had regretted making come were sure indicators that she didn’t mean it. “You don’t mean that.”

Angela couldn’t say the truth. She didn’t regret joining up with them. She regretted being what she was. She glanced at the watch that Dean had given her. She had to go now if she was going to generate enough energy. Swallowing back the emotions that were welling up, she replied, “I am fixing this Sam. I just hope you forgive me.” She muttered a few choice words as she reached up and touched Sam on his forehead.

Sam felt a peculiar sensation as she touched his forehead. He felt weak in the legs and he collapsed. He wasn’t passed out but he was stunned and had trouble moving. He watched as she gave a sad look and turned to walk away.


	15. Chapter 15

Bobby knew something was up the moment he saw Sam stagger alongside the road like he was drunk. At first he thought he was and he didn’t blame the kid. Yet when he saw Cerebus barking in alarm, he knew it wasn’t a simple case of someone getting drunk.

He pulled over and got out to help the younger hunter. “Sam? Sam, are you all right?”

Sam staggered and reached out to lean against the junker. He had no idea what Angela did but it was intended for him to be incapacitated while she did whatever she was thinking of doing. It had occurred to him that she used that trick she had used to incapacitate Dean when they first met. He was pissed that she would do that but he was more worried that she was going to do something to get herself killed.

Once he was steady on his feet, he managed to get out, “Bobby, she’s doing something. She’s gonna do something.”

Bobby knew exactly what she was going to do. He put two and two together and surmised that she was being a damn idjit and pushed Sam away. She tried the sneak away and it backfired. “Easy there son.”

“Bobby, what had she been doing these past few months?” Sam looked at the older hunter still trying to get steady. It was wearing off but too slow for his liking. “What was she planning if she didn’t get Dean’s deal?”

_Dammit girl, you really messed up with this one._

“Bobby, please. Is she trying to do a trade with her soul or her life?”

Bobby took in the eyes that were locked onto his. He was amazed that Sam wasn’t being pissed at what she did to him. He was more concerned that she was going to hurt herself. He found that he couldn’t keep anything much further. It occurred to him that maybe Angela knew that he would eventually tell Sam about her activities and he mused, _So ya trying to get him pissed at ya so ya can leave? Not gonna happen._

Sam looked at the older hunter. Bobby knew something and judging from the look on his face, Angela asked him not to say anything. It must have been big for her to tell Bobby but it hurt that she felt she couldn’t come to him or Dean about it. They were together virtually twenty-four/seven and worked through everything. “She made you promise did she?”

Bobby sighed. To hell with the promise. “She made me swear not to tell ya and Dean when I called her about a special delivery I received on her behalf. I smelled a rat and agreed.”

Sam couldn’t help but make a slight smile. He could just imagine what she said and used to get Bobby to agree to that. That didn’t change the fact that she may be going down that road Dean warned him about. “What, Bobby?”

“She wanted to create a hot spot,” Bobby let out.

Sam felt the wheels turn in his head as he recalled what she mentioned about hot spots. She said that she was doing a spell. Hot spots could amplify the juice in spell work for just about anything. Immediately he grew concerned. He remembered all too well what the Morton House hot spot did to her. She nearly went crazy and was barely holding it together until Corbett saved their collective asses.

It affected her on a deeper level than she cared to admit. He could see that and she sort of told him when he took care of her wrist. “Bobby, where would she go to create a hot spot?”

“Where else?”

Sam got it. “Dean’s grave. She said that death by supernatural… Bobby we gotta stop her.” He started moving to get into the car. The stun hadn’t quite worn off and he almost fell trying to get to the passenger door and open it. “Come on, Cerebus.”

Bobby reached out to steady Sam. “Wait Sam.”

“Bobby,” Sam huffed as he managed to get the door open, “What she is doing… it could hurt her. I can’t let her do that to herself.”

“Sam…”

“Bobby, I saw what happened the last time. This could kill her.” Sam wondered why Bobby was looking at him in that calm manner. Was there something that he was missing about this? “Dean wouldn’t want this.”

“I know that Sam but… it’s not what you think.”

Sam looked at Bobby as if he were insane. “What do you mean?”

Bobby knew that Sam had to know. Dean told him what happened in Sheridan when they stopped by with that hex box with the lycanthropy cure in it. “Angie needs to make a hot spot in order to… open a door.”

“What door?”

“Sam, the door is a hell’s gate. It’s a passage to the pit.” Bobby studied the look on Sam’s face. He wasn’t going to mince corners. “She’s going to hell to save Dean.”

****

Gabriel stood looking around waiting. He was growing impatient with it but this was important in securing the fact that he would still be in his witness protection while he was touring around the pit with Cat. He didn’t want his dick brothers to know what he was up to though it was certain that they knew what his Cat was up to. They weren’t stupid.

Gabriel sighed as he stood there. He was going to be late if stayed here much longer. He was going to have to turbo charge the flight pack to get there. He wasn’t going to let Cat down again. He wasn’t going to let her go it alone.

“You ever hear the expression that standing around in the middle of the night is just asking for something to happen?”

Gabriel paused. He recognized that voice. He hadn’t heard it since… He turned to look at the newcomer. He found himself face to face with a stranger wearing one of those trench coats with the hood. The hood was up and it covered the face under the shadows it created but the voice was unmistakable. He replied, “I wasn’t aware it was an expression.”

The stranger laughed, “You haven’t changed a bit.”

“Most folks don’t Ass Man,” Gabriel replied as he started circling the stranger warily. If he was here then his contact was compromised in some way. “Thought you were keeping it on the down low.”

“Well considering the activities that have been going on this past year… It’s hard to ignore the potential fun that could occur.” The stranger gave a short laugh as he smirked at Gabriel and circled with him.

“So you’ve been paying attention then and doing your own thing. I figured you were the lapdog type,” Gabriel retorted back.

“Be careful what you say, Gabriel. There are others out there who are not as accommodating to your insults as I am,” the stranger replied, “Though I must say that she must have learned a great deal about sarcasm from you.”

Gabriel knew that he was being goaded. There was always the chance that they knew about his relationship with Cat. He wasn’t going to let anything out unless they revealed their hand. He replied carefully, “My sarcasm rubs off on all the women I have met.”

“Ah but the one I have in mind is very special. A lot of people are interested in her. Deadly as she is beautiful; a beauty beyond compare of any of those created. I hear that it wreaks havoc in her life,” the stranger replied with a smirk.

Gabriel kept his face neutral but continued to eye his visitor warily. He knew now that he was talking about Cat. She was a beautiful woman and it was something that had other women glaring at her with jealousy. Men lusted after her and he spent time chasing them off before and she did pretty well for herself and he wasn’t stupid when he saw Sammy’s reaction. He replied, “Such is the case with a beautiful woman.”

“Cut the crap Gabriel. You and I both know that there is only one woman in your life that has you willing to bend over backwards. They call her Absolution.”

Gabriel didn’t react as he replied, “Oh that one. You know we really don’t move in the same circles so I really don’t know what you’re talking about Ass Man.”

“You have always tried my patience and many a time I have severely wanted to hurt you,” The stranger replied. He subtly put a hand into the folds of his coat. “Perhaps I finally figured out how to do it.”

“Well you never could carry out a good prank. I always beat you on that one.”

“Still as glib as ever. I wonder how glib you will be when I get to your precious Absolution and send her to the pit just like before. There are those down there that are just aching to wish her back. She was such fun to play with.” The stranger laughed as he said it since he knew full well what happened down there.

Gabriel couldn’t stand it. “You won’t touch her. Not if I can help it.”

“We’ll see,” and the stranger flicked something out so fast. The result was a ring of fire that encircled Gabriel. The stranger laughed. “So easy to trap an angel. Even a dumbass human could do it.”

Gabriel glared death daggers at the stranger. He knew that he was trapped in a ring of holy fire and he had no way out of it. That is unless someone could extinguish it like a human or something. The stranger was laughing at him and saying, “This was all too easy. After all you’ve been avoiding the watch towers for a very long time. It makes perfect sense that you would cover your tracks.”

“When you have dick ass brothers yeah you tend to do that,” Gabriel replied as he curled his hands into fists.

“And there is only one person aside from her human pets that she would turn to for help in her great escape plan and that is you.” The stranger stopped to peer at Gabriel with a curious expression. He was curious about why and what it was about Gabriel that Absolution trusted. “Funny thing is I don’t see the attraction except for the fact that you both have a unique perspective on life.”

“I’ve seen enough,” Gabriel replied. “I’m easy to get along with,” he added in sarcasm.

“That I can see.”

“So cut to the chase then. What do you want?”

The stranger paced knowing that it would annoy Gabriel even more. He then teased, “Mm I am rather looking forward to attempting to break Absolution. Already grief stirs at the heart and to make failure occur at the next great idea… so sweet.”

“She’s too smart for that. She would see you coming a mile away,” Gabriel replied with the barest hint of pride at his girl’s abilities.

“Well we’ve had an interesting meeting at one point. I must say that she would have probably done me in. Then again she doesn’t know does she?”

Gabriel snorted, “She probably does. She only reveals her hand when she knows that she has an advantage. When and how is up to her. Even I don’t know.”

“Quite true. Perhaps she didn’t even tell you how she plans to open the hell’s gate?”

“Don’t need it and I ain’t telling you,” Gabriel spat.

The stranger laughed and it was deep hearty laugh, “Still acting like a fledgling. It doesn’t matter since it’s already begun. I am seriously going to enjoy making it difficult and leaving her with that sense of failure. Funny what death makes people do.”

“Leave her alone.”

“Like you can make me. Absolution will be broken and then things will go according to plan.”

“I have a trick or two and I’ll kick your ass.” Gabriel knew that he couldn’t do anything while he was in that ring of holy fire. It was nice to threaten and on occasion he had done a few things… His biggest concern was Cat. He knew that if she were made to believe that she failed, that would spell trouble and not the kind that meant trouble for a demon. It had more to do with her psyche that she was just starting to get over.

“You can try Gabriel but you and I both know that as long as you’re trapped there, you can’t do a damn thing.” The stranger started to walk away. “Now time to go have some more fun with Absolution. Oh by the way, it was easy to lure you out. Your vampire friend was very informative of a few things.”

Gabriel gritted his teeth. He watched as the stranger left, leaving him there. “Faisal,” he nearly shouted. That damn grandpa of a vampire did the unthinkable. “What the hell did you think you were doing?” He couldn’t help but shout as he was trapped within the ring of fire.

Gabriel had been around long enough to know that if Faisal couldn’t get a hold of the usual like him to manipulate the situation, then he resorted to other measures. That meant he would manipulate Cat’s friends into thinking that they were doing the right thing. It also meant that Faisal was willing to work with the devil in order to get the one thing that he wanted and Gabriel knew that he couldn’t let that happen unless Cat agreed to it.

Gabriel knew the centuries had not been too kind to Cat especially after the pit. He hadn’t made it easier keeping the whole destiny crap from her. Faisal had made it seem like he had malicious intent and he ended up being an ass. That damn vampire was a firm believer that everyone had their place in the game plan known as life. He did anything and everything to make sure it happened and that included Cat.

There was a reason Faisal didn’t want her to go to hell. It wasn’t like she was going alone. If Gabriel was honest with himself, he would stop her too. He knew that she wasn’t ready for the pit again. There were a few things that had souls brave the pit as long as they did until they finally became the very thing she fought. Motivation was a clear cut way of making it.

Back then Cat fought for her life. She wanted out and she became an animal almost to get out from that place and travel the levels of hell. Her sense of justice and the wanting to live kept her alive but even Gabriel knew that wasn’t enough. He had observed her interact with the Winchesters and he knew that she probably wouldn’t make it unless she reached deep down and touched that part of her she refused to acknowledge was there.

Gabriel paced around trying to think. Ass Man would show up and probably fight Cat. Hell’s gates stayed open for only a brief amount of time. That would devastate Cat and it made him angry. He stomped around trying to think of how to get out.

“You never could hold your temper could you Gabe?”

Gabriel stopped pacing as he looked at the newcomer. He was rather surprised at the visitor. “You would be throwing a fit too if you just found out what a stupid grandpa vampire did.”

****

Haley sensed that something was off. She was already upset with the whole episode between her and Angela and then that infernal vampire. She looked out the window of her room and noted the moon. It had to be a coincidence or something like that.

She knew that Angela was going to open a hell’s gate. It was just a matter of when and at the time it seemed rather pointless to stake out Dean’s gravesite. Angela would have been able to smell her a mile away even if she played with some of her juju herbs. She also knew that her friend needed help with this. She pulled on her shoes since she didn’t bother to go to bed.

“Hale, what are you doing?”

Haley looked at Aaron who looked like he had been on a drinking binge with the sleepy expression and messed up brown locks. He had gone to sleep the moment they checked in. It was a quirk of Nephilim especially if they used their powers. He had used his powers earlier to send waves of calm, an unusual aspect of his kind and for him. It had Haley wonder about which angel was his father but he never said a word about that. She left it for the time being and decided to tell him what she was doing, “I’m going to help Angela with the hell’s gate.”

Aaron was instantly awake. He brushed the sleepy expression away and pulled on one of his flannel shirts that he liked to wear. He wasn’t sure about the whole thing but he knew that if Haley wanted to help a friend, she was going to do it. He wasn’t a blind idiot either. He knew how Haley felt about Dean Winchester even if it wasn’t clear to her.

Aaron was just grateful to be alive. He was well aware that it was through the efforts of Absolution that more like him were alive and living lives of their own. His girlfriend was human and lived in the same community and they were a surprising mix of humans and Nephilim. When he was asked to play bodyguard to the granddaughter of Lwazi, he was apprehensive about it. It meant long days away from his girlfriend and probably doing things that would require the use of his powers.

That seemed to be the idea considering that his charge had been raised by both her father’s people in Africa and then by her mother’s people in Europe and he had heard stories of the Celtic women. He was adept in defense and fighting and his girlfriend said that it was all right.

It hadn’t turned out too bad since they swung by the community every now and then and Haley ‘trained’ him into not hovering around her twenty-four/seven. She said that if he wanted to feather it back, he could. So he did and the long distance relationship worked out and was working out pretty good. His girlfriend was crazy about him and often asked about the things he had seen. He learned that she came from a family of hunters so she knew about things.

Looking at Haley’s determined stance, he knew that he was going to be in for a long haul. He replied, “Alright. Where at?”

“Where Dean is buried,” Haley replied as she finished with her shoes. She pulled on her jacket which was designed to reflect her heritage. Plus it was a means to hide a few extras.

Aaron nodded and replied, “Okay then.” He reached over and pulled out the one weapon he had been taught to use. Whether or not it would make a difference was up for debate but it was the only thing he had courtesy of his father. “Car or mojo?”

Haley gave a wry smile. She knew that Aaron wouldn’t be up to it even though it was faster. He had spent enough energy for the day. “It’s not that far. I know you haven’t had enough sleep.”

Aaron grumbled, “I can do it. It’s no trouble.” He had used up quite a bit just soothing Haley. He extended it to her friends and they seemed to do better by it.

Haley turned to look at the Nephilim and saw him grumbling. She knew that he was capable of amazing feats. She had observed other Nephilim and none had the resilience he had nor could they do the things he did. She once asked him how he was able to do so and he merely shrugged at that.

Haley suspected that it had something to do with the girl that she often had to threaten him to go see. At least that was in the beginning. Now he went when he wanted but he always checked to see if she would be all right on her own. It was one thing she couldn’t shake him out of. She knew he took his guardianship seriously and she wondered if that had to do with the fact that angels, aside from being messengers, were guardians too. She seriously had to be a better study in genetics.

Angela was better at it and she was glib about it. Well she was glib about her appetite and healing abilities around Sam. Other stuff she half joked but gave that warning look. In the end though Angela knew how genetics worked in the grand scheme of things hence her one joke of six degrees of supernatural or something like that.

Haley looked at Aaron as she made sure her lucky pack was slung around her shoulders and she touched her necklace for good luck. She replied, “I know but somehow I get the feeling that something is going to happen tonight and I would rather you be ready for that than feathering out.”

Aaron gave a slight nod. He had learned quickly never to doubt Haley’s gut feelings and she trusted his. When something was up, it usually was and from what he observed regarding the Winchesters, that usually was the case. They always seemed to be stuck in the middle of something big. He found it no major coincidence that the god and goddess decided to manifest through the younger brother and Absolution. That connection he was able to see and he wondered if that was what Haley saw and if she saw it… that meant the other side knew it too. He replied, “Alright, but I drive.”

“Better you than me, Feathers,” Haley replied using the nickname she saddled him with when she first met him and he had a stick up his ass.

Aaron gave a wry look at Haley as he grabbed the keys to the econo-friendly car that they had purchased recently. It looked like a lunch box to him since he was fairly tall and it was a wonder he was able to squeeze into the damn thing. The only reason they had it was because it wasn’t a gas guzzler and with the amount of traveling they did, it paid to have a tight wallet and an eye out for expenses. “Lead the way Princess,” he said teasing her back since he knew she was from one of the five families that hosted the tournament.

Haley made a slight scoffing noise as she got into their car and nearly laughed as Aaron squeezed in beside her. She swore he was like one of those contortionists in this car. She suddenly had the mental image of Sam trying the same thing along with Angela since they were both pretty tall and gave a stifled chuckle.

“Laugh it up Hale,” Aaron replied giving a slight smile as he put the car in gear. “I know you’re thinking about size.” To tease her he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Now that is plain Freudian and gross,” Haley replied thinking about the bad jokes she had with Dean. She hoped that Angela’s plan worked and she was going to help her if only for that. “Step on it feathers since there is not that much time.”

“Fine,” Aaron replied and gave the car gas. “So much for eco-friendly.”

They made it to the site and knew that Angela’s car was there. Haley was out of the car before Aaron stopped and ran up to Angela. “Hey, need a hand?”


	16. Chapter 16

“Need a hand?”

Angela looked at Haley in surprise. She hadn’t started yet because Gabriel hadn’t shown up and he was never late. She got the feeling that something bad happened and was trying to thwart her. It wouldn’t be the first time. Azazel did that to her and she became a near suicidal mess over that and now here she was again in a mess she caused and she did the unthinkable. She used her talents against Sam.

It would have just been easier for her to tell him the truth and there was the chance that he might have helped her. Then again if he knew the details of what it took, he would have probably hogtied her and locked her in the trunk of the Impala until the idea drained out of her brain. There was also the possibility that he would have rounded in on Bobby too.

She knew that Bobby would have told him eventually. It was no coincidence that she spotted the vehicle Bobby got from somewhere in the rearview mirror as she left. Besides she couldn’t just knock out Sam and Cerebus wouldn’t attack her since she was his alpha. She used the stunning version and it would keep Sam busy trying to get out of it. By then it would be done and she would be in the pit and Bobby would have explained things.

It hurt that she did that to Sam. It hurt worse than the barely healing cut on her palm. He was nothing but nice to her and occasionally she pissed him off when she made her blunders. He defended her virtue more voraciously than he should have and always managed to put her at ease when faced with difficult situations.

She had used her offensive abilities only once and that was to quiet the memory of a childhood fear. He thanked her for that and repaid her by just being there during difficult times. He was the first to call her family and then Dean got on board. In one action she threw it back in his face. She would wholly deserve it if he never spoke to her again or told her to get lost.

She studied Haley for a moment and realized something. She replied, “You want to help me?”

Haley gave a slight look, “Hell yeah.” She relented a little at the slight flinch the half vampire gave her. Maybe her enthusiasm was a little too much. Looking at Angela, she could see that she looked like hell. She tried a different note, “Look, I know that it’s not just for Dean the fact that you think no one like him deserves hell.”

“Got that right,” Angela replied. She gave up waiting for Gabriel. Something happened but she didn’t have much time. She was going to see this through and all she had to do was pray. He would find her. Gabe always did. She started using her foot to draw what she needed in the ground and was comforted that Haley seemed to know which items to pick up to lay at the various points. “My bulldog doesn’t deserve it and I need to fix this.”

“It’s not just about Dean is it?” Haley kept up the casual conversation like it was nothing. She knew spell and sigil work like the back of her hand and could carry a conversation while her body worked on automatic. “It’s about Sam.”

Angela made a slight movement with her head. “I need to fix this and give him his brother back.”

Haley wasn’t fooled by that statement one bit. She could see that it wasn’t just for Dean. She was doing it for Sam. “Why you then? Couldn’t anyone just go?”

“Because I damned him Hale,” Angela replied as she finished the last of the etching. Now she needed to generate the energy and create a hot spot. Then step two would be to open the gate and then jump in. She would be put right in the corner where Dean would be and the only thing would be to fight back and call for backup. “I wasn’t able to take the deal for my own and then that stupid condition made in a fit of rage… This will make it right.”

Haley wasn’t sure what Angela was babbling about but she was guessing that it had to do with when Dean made his deal. From the way she sounding, it was like she had been there. She could understand guilty feelings about that but this seemed more… deep seated and it transposed onto the current situation.

Haley glanced over at Aaron who was mercifully being like someone taking a stroll and then back at Angela who was looking up at the sky for no reason. She frowned and then looked back and saw a rather beat up old junker pull up. Before the car stopped the front passenger was already open and Sam was getting out. One look told her that he wasn’t pissed… at least he didn’t look like it.

Angela was not paying attention to Haley. The star she was looking for was right where it should be. It had nothing to do with the spell but it made her feel better about the whole thing as she toyed with her necklace. Looking back down she took a breath and started reciting the incantation to create the hot spot. It was a very old technique that required precise pronunciation otherwise the whole thing would literally blow up in her face and that would get them nowhere.

This hot spot was using the aura that clung around Dean’s remains and the fact that it was burial ground. It sounded sacrilegious but it was a death hot spot. The nice thing was hellhound stench clinging and Dean was dead and they were on a burial ground. The more she thought about it, it really sounded bad but there was no going back. She needed it to be one powered from death. Since when people died they went to one of two places and the place she wanted…

Angela focused on the incantation and at the last moment, she lit the match that she had from the box in her hand. She put it in the pot of herbs related to death and used when death occurred and it sparked. At first there was nothing and Angela thought that nothing happened. Then she felt it. It was like being in the Morton House all over as she felt the energy and it was like going on a power trip again. At least there were no side effects like that other thing.

Haley felt the power swirl and was surprised that Angela was able to do it. She was expecting just enough to fuel the opening of a door but this was huge. She could feel it and she couldn’t help but look at Angela with a wide eyed expression. “Wow,” was all that came out.

Angela stared at the sigil in the ground. She put her hand in her jacket pocket and cradled the vial in there. Now was the moment of truth. The hot spot will last as long as she needed it to but she had a narrow window to open the gate and once she did, it would burn out. “Hale can you stabilize the flow of energy?”

Haley snapped out of it and nodded. She would do that. “What are you gonna do?”

Angela walked over to where Absolution and her chakram had been set down. She put the chakram on her belt and slung the strap for Absolution over her shoulder. She looked at Haley with a determined look, “I’m gonna open a hell’s gate.”

“I get that but what about your friends? Sam?” Haley began moving her hands to channel the energy into a workable mass. She was the witch here and knew a thing about energy channeling.

“I… did what I had to do.”

“Is that what you call it?”

Haley saw Angela’s reaction and knew that Sam did too. She tried to play it off, “Sam! What a pleasant surprise.”

Sam gave a slight look that said he wasn’t in the mood and he apologized for being rude. Haley understood him and moved away content with doing whatever she was doing but not before telling Angela that she needed to get a move on. Sam waited until Haley moved away before facing Angela. To him she looked like a deer caught in a truck’s headlights. He noticed her knuckles become white as she clenched her chakram.

On the way there, he debated on what to say. It was hard to digest that she made the decision to go to hell literally to rescue Dean. He didn’t even think that was possible but Bobby explained the bare rudiments of what she was doing. What he didn’t understand was why she felt the need not to say anything; not to tell him. It was one of the questions that he wanted answered but looking at her now, it surprised him how she looked. She looked scared of him.

Angela was surprised upon hearing Sam’s voice. She didn’t expect him to show and she cursed her sense of timing. When she saw him standing in front of her, she got scared and she never was that scared. For some odd reason she was expecting shouting and him to strike her. She didn’t realize that she was gripping her chakram until she did a nervous tap and her knuckle felt stiff. She swallowed and said, “Hello Sam.”

Sam didn’t want to badger her but it was like she was leaving him little choice. He started slow, “Why did you do it? Why did you do that, whatever thing you did?”

Angela swallowed slightly and said, “You weren’t supposed to know.”

“Why then?”

“This is about going to hell Sam. The place where Dean is. To get there requires the creation of a hot spot and it has to be done right otherwise it blows up in your face literally.”

Sam frowned slightly as he tried to make sense of it, “So this is your idea of protecting me from a big blast? We’ve been through a lot more than that.” He studied her and was relieved that her knuckles weren’t white anymore.

“Not from the gate thing… from me,” Angela replied. She looked over at Haley and did a brief check. She was doing good with the energy channeling thing. She was very impressed with African juju. She then looked at Sam and added, “You may try to convince me all you want that this isn’t my doing but… Sam I made the stipulation and I didn’t do my job as a broker on Dean’s behalf. I should have made myself clear before but everything good that comes my way and I touch gets ruined or dies. First your mom, then dad, then Ash died, you died and now Dean.”

“That doesn’t mean that you’re bad,” Sam replied. He felt that he might as well be preaching to the choir on this one. Yet he could understand. He thought it was his fault that his mom died and Jess died and that his death made Dean make the deal and now Dean was gone.

“That’s sweet of you to say but there is a saying you know. You can’t get a leopard to change its spots. Probably a better parable is the scorpion and the frog,” Angela replied. “You’ve seen what I can do Sam and one of the products of that was me killing myself.”

“So? That only means that you’re you and you have abilities that…” Sam stopped. This was getting them nowhere. She was determined to make him see her as a monster. She was more than that to him and to Dean. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped.”

“And if I mentioned it in front of you and Dean, would you have been as receptive of it considering that I would have given you all the details?” Angela gave a watery look as she spoke in a low voice.

Sam made a slight movement with his head. He finally replied, “We probably would have said no and left it at that.”

“See?” Angela gave a slight smile. “I know you two pretty well.”

“Whatever happened to you being careful?”

“I am. That hasn’t changed.” Angela sighed as she put her hand back into her jacket pocket to touch the vial. “I don’t expect you to understand completely but this is something for me. It’s one of those things that I feel I have to do to make things right. I guess you could say that I feel the need to fix it.”

Sam studied Angela and took in her appearance. She was ready to go and fight her way through to get to Dean. He didn’t understand her motivation but he started putting pieces together. “Is this what you mean when you said someone has to do it and not everyone is happy?”

“And Sammy wins again,” Angela replied in a slight joke. “Sam, people know me because I was always the one who chose to walk the difficult road. The adulation comes from the success and the hatred from the failures.” She paused and glanced at her watch. She had to start now. “Let me make this a success. I only have a short time before the energy burns out.”

Sam studied her. He felt the desire to wish that she didn’t have to be the one; that maybe someone else could do it. Deep down though, he knew that she was the only one who could go there and bring Dean back. That didn’t mean that he wanted her to. He could support her though and he wasn’t angry at her for doing what she did to him. If it had been reverse and it was Dean, she would have done the same thing. “Can I help?”

Angela paused a moment. There was no reason for her to deny him now. He was there.

“I’m not mad at what you did.”

Angela looked down at the ground and twisted her lips. She replied in a very low whisper, “You should.” Louder she asked, “How good is your Latin?” She then looked at Sam so that their eyes met.

Sam looked her in the eye. When this was over, they would have a long talk. For now, they would bring Dean back. “Pretty good since I’ve done a few exorcisms.”

“I should hope so.”

Sam gave a slight chuckle and followed Angela to where he saw the sigil that she had drawn into the ground. He looked at her and asked, “This is it?”

“It’s where the energy is drawn. Now we only have a short time so,” Angela fished out the incantation. Her pronunciation was perfect but she had to make sure the wording was right. She pointed at one line. “When I get here, I need you to repeat this line three times.”

“And you were going to do this by yourself?”

“It is possible. This just keeps it open a little longer and uses a bit more juice,” Angela replied with a slight shrug. She stood at the edge of the sigil and began to say the incantation.

The incantation was just like an exorcism; the thing was in Latin but further research revealed that it had been translated from a much older version of Latin or possibly something like a dead language. It was probably something she could have read but she made sure that she had an accurate version of the common Latin. It could easily have been done by one person but Angela anticipated at least Bobby helping, who was mercifully staying the same distance away and striking a conversation with Aaron, so she had two versions of the same thing. She decided on the two-man version since Sam was there and Haley could channel energy as naturally as breathing.

Sam listened as he stood a distance away from Angela. He listened as her voice took on a firm timbre as she recited the Latin incantation. He noticed that the weather began to change and wondered if this was what she didn’t want him to see. When she came to his part, he recited his part as she said to and waited and watched as Haley did whatever she was doing to keep the energy of the hot spot going. The last thing he saw was Angela pulling something out of her pocket and recognized it as a tiny vial full of liquid. He swallowed as he guessed that it was the concoction that he saw her make before she came here. Definitely he and Dean would have put a stop to it but there was no going back now.

There was a slight rumble as the ground quaked a little but it wasn’t enough for anyone to lose their balance. The wind whirled up as the gate slowly began to open. The black cloud that arose was an awful reminder of the demons in Monument. It swirled along the ground tracing the lines of sigil, opening it up and revealed the pit. Lightning crashed as Angela stared down and the loosened locks were billowing. Literally jumping into the pit was the key.

Sam watched from a distance as the clouds swirled. He saw the ground open. His mouth hung open at the look of determination that was on Angela’s face. She really was going to do it; she was going to leave him to get Dean. As if she knew what he was thinking, she looked at him and gave a slight smile and said, “It’ll be all right.”

Before she jumped in, Sam watched as she was flung off her feet and she hit a tree and landed hard on the ground. Sam whirled and saw someone he remembered full well and had wanted to kill because of what he did to her. He attempted to take a swing and was given a backhand and he landed hard on his back and felt winded. He looked up at his attacker and said, “I thought you disappeared.”

“Did you think that it was over after that?” The hooded stranger looked at Sam with amusement even though it couldn’t be seen. He paused when he felt something and looked to see Haley holding her hand ready with the little fire trick she threatened Gabriel once and glaring at him. He retaliated at once and sent her sprawling back and she landed on the ground. “Pitiful for a witch of Lwazi.”

Sam propped himself on his elbows and started to get to his feet, “And you are a pain in the ass. What the hell do you want? “

“Finishing a job for Lilith.”

“Not if I can help it.”

Sam watched as the guy he had met only once before come after the stranger with a nice right cross. It made a dent in the stranger but it only served to piss him off. They duked it out for some time, exchanging blows. Sam got to his feet and tried to help especially when the stranger gave a hard punch to the guy that he remembered was called Aaron and the guy went down. For his troubles, Sam got another hard blow that put him flat on the ground. He grunted from the pain.

“Sammy, Sammy, Sammy. You should know by now that I don’t like sneak attacks,” the stranger mocked.

Sam grunted and replied, “Yeah well someone needs to gank your ass.”

“And it won’t be you.” The stranger put his hand out.

Sam felt pressure around his midsection. It was like a huge hand was pushing him harder into the ground and making it harder for him to breathe. He felt his lungs gasping but very little air was flowing in. It also felt like his ribs were being crushed.

The stranger was getting a perverse pleasure at watching Sam writhe on the ground. With no Dean to protect him and Absolution pretty well stunned, it was clear paving to finish Sam off. He knew that Lilith had been scared that nothing happened to Sam. He suspected that part of it was Absolution’s doing but there was something else regarding Sam. He didn’t see the old man in the trucker cap come up from behind and stick him in the shoulder with a pig sticker.

Bobby may have been stunned but he was on his feet and ready to help Sam. He couldn’t even see his girl and figured that the new badass gave a harder punch because he knew what she was. The main concern was Sam who was wriggling on the ground in pain. He grabbed the knife he had and looked at Cerebus, who was lying on the ground whining in pain, poor mutt, and ran forward and shoved it in the back of the guy’s shoulder.

The stranger stopped torturing Sam but left him pinned to turn to face the old man. In a similar manner as before, he reached up and pulled the knife out of his shoulder and looked at it. He then looked at Bobby and said, “I’m curious, after sticking me, what is it you plan on doing next?”

Bobby knew that he was dealing with something that he hadn’t come across yet. He took a couple of steps back, not sure of what to do. It was decided when Cerebus managed to clamp onto the arm of the stranger and pull. It was for his pains literally as the stranger flung the mutt at Bobby and the two of them hit the dirt. Bobby was effectively winded and had a hard time moving. In short the stranger ended up pinning him too.

Meanwhile the attention was turned back to Sam. “Now where were we?” The stranger put out his hand and upped the ante.

Sam couldn’t help but scream out loud in pain. The pressure was harder and he was certain that it cracked a few of his ribs. Suddenly the pressure was gone and he was taking in gasps of air like it was a lifeline and it was. Taking deep breaths, he rolled to his side just in time to see a pair of legs walk by and he looked up to see…

Angela hadn’t expected the blow. She was about ready to jump in and something flung her to the side. She landed fairly deep into the forest after hitting a couple of trees. She ended up with some bruised and cracked ribs when she landed and it took her a moment to get up. Whoever it was knew how to land a punch.

She was finally able to get up and start jogging back to Dean’s burial site. When she got there, she saw Bobby on the ground with Cerebus, Haley and Aaron were struggling to gain some sense of orientation and Sam was on the ground screaming in pain and standing over him was…

She was aware of the same feelings she had when Lilith tried to kill her. She swore she didn’t want to feel that again but this was too much. Racing forward, she reached out with the first offensive thing she could do unaware that she was tapping into the hot spot energy. The opened gate was ignored for now. She sent a burst at the stranger and knocked him back off his feet and glanced at Sam who was starting to breathe easy again.

Slowing down to a walk, she walked past Sam to face down the stranger. The blow had been hard enough to knock the hood off his head and reveal jet black hair that was styled like mullet rock. He had that Caucasian look but the eyes were like looking into her own, except they were more amber-like; not quite whiskey and the mouth was twisted into a sneer at her. He said, “Very good Absolution.”

Angela pulled out Absolution and held it out. She would kill this bastard if she had to. That Absolution could kill him, she didn’t doubt. She had no idea why he was here unless it was to do Lilith’s bidding but that bitch was scared that even her own mojo couldn’t kill Sam or her so she let out the only thing that made sense, “Why?”

“Easy. You see the worse kind of punishment for you is to make sure that you fail in your endeavors,” the stranger replied. He fixed the hood sine he rather liked it but left it so his face was showing. Now that she had seen him, it would be fixed in her memory. “I’m sure you are aware that you can tap into energy and that put a serious drain on your little plan here.”

Angela didn’t look at the gate. She would believe that. That meant her time was cut even shorter and she had to get this guy out of here. “You people are all the same.”

“Yes we are,” the stranger mocked. “The thing is you plan to go where fires burn colder and hotter. Do you really have what it takes to walk those roads and all for one soul?”

“You’d be surprised,” Angela replied. She was ready for the strike that came when the stranger flew at her. She had Absolution out but she had to maneuver for a clean strike. She knew that he was drawing it out. She could feel the energy peter out and without Haley stabilizing it, it could go boom and that would be the end.

It was a hard battle that had Angela remember the last time. She got a backhand that started her nose bleeding but she didn’t give up. She managed to get in a cut with Absolution and watched as the stranger recoil in pain. He looked at her and said, “It appears that I may been mistaken. Certainly your feathered friend wasn’t and he was so easy to catch just like Sammy here.”

Before Angela could react she was thrown back. The last thing she heard was, “You are brave Absolution but you aren’t ready and you don’t have the motivation you need to make it. Enjoy your failure before you begun.”

Angela rolled over to find that the stranger was gone. The hell’s gate started rumbling. It was going to close so it was now or never. She glanced back at Sam who was, moaning and trying to get to his feet. This was good-bye then. She got to her feet and started running towards it. She was almost there when she saw Haley standing near the edge with Aaron. What the…?

“Sorry,” Haley said as she and Aaron jumped in.

Angela charged forward hoping to go in after them. The gate was unstable though. Too much energy was spent and the cloud swirled in on itself and then blasted outwards. Angela was caught in the blast and blown backwards off her feet. It was like getting blasted by a wave of powerful bad breath. She landed hard on the ground with the back of her head smacking the ground and saw black.

Sam saw Angela running towards the gate. She really was going and he wished her luck. He started getting to his feet when he saw Haley and her friend nearby. He then realized what was happening and started getting to his feet. Then there was the explosion and he fell backwards and covered his head.

When he lowered his arms, there was dust flying everywhere and he coughed. He was also disoriented and there was a dull ring to his ears. Looking around he saw Bobby and the hell mutt relatively unharmed but then he turned to where Angela was.

She was lying on the ground and not moving. Panic gripped him but his head was pounding and he smelled really bad burn smells. He tried getting to his feet but being disoriented his legs buckled underneath. He took a deep breath and that was when he heard it. They were footsteps.

Looking up he saw someone walking towards Angela. He was tall and dark brown with black hair. Sam watched as the guy kneeled next to her and say, “Nice try but it is time for you to grow up.” He then picked her up like it was nothing.

Sam tried to get to his feet and hoarsely shouted at the guy. The guy looked at him with a pointed regard. Sam then found himself on the ground as if he had been pushed and the guy walked right behind him carrying a limp Angela. He only heard, “Don’t tempt Fate, boy.”

Sam watched as the demon Cary appeared and took them both with him. Sam wanted to curse at Cary but couldn’t. He was left with the harsh reality that in her trying to save Dean, he let his brother down by not watching out for her. He lost both of them. _I’m sorry Dean._


End file.
